> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://lightdash-mintlify-9d2ee1df.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Running total

> Running totals give you the sum of a value + all of the previous values in that column.

[Just gimme the code! <Icon icon="bug" iconType="solid" />](#here’s-the-sql-you-can-copy-paste-to-calculate-a-running-total)

Here's an example of a running total:

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/lightdash-mintlify-9d2ee1df/QRJ15MMWQVnttyKM/images/guides/table-calculations/table-calculation-sql-templates/running-total-3d2fba5e8104a413e6d99545c75ee4d1.jpg?fit=max&auto=format&n=QRJ15MMWQVnttyKM&q=85&s=10bccd72a83f8c16d85259a92a5e887f" width="3799" height="1052" data-path="images/guides/table-calculations/table-calculation-sql-templates/running-total-3d2fba5e8104a413e6d99545c75ee4d1.jpg" />
</Frame>

And here's the SQL used in the table calculation:

```sql theme={null}
SUM(${orders.total_order_amount}) OVER (
  ORDER BY
    ${orders.order_date_month}
  ROWS BETWEEN UNBOUNDED PRECEDING AND CURRENT ROW
)
```

In general, the SQL used for calculating running totals has two bits (with an optional third bit):

* `column_I_want_to_sum` - this is the column with the values you want to add up
* `column_I_want_to_order_by` - this is the column you want to order your running total over
* `optional_other_column_I_want_to_order_by` - this column is optional and you can add as many more `order by` columns as you need. For your running total to only go up an increment of one row, you'll need to add every dimension in your results table to the `ORDER BY` bit in your SQL. And, the order of these will need to be the same as the ordering you've added to the columns in your results table.

### Here's the SQL you can copy-paste to calculate a running total

```sql theme={null}
SUM(${table.column_I_want_to_sum}) OVER (
  ORDER BY
    ${table.column_I_want_to_order_by},
    ${table.optional_other_column_I_want_to_order_by}
  ROWS BETWEEN UNBOUNDED PRECEDING AND CURRENT ROW
)
```

<Info>
  **💎 Level up your SQL**:

  * You can specify if you want to order your columns in ascending order (1, 2, 3, 4) or descending order (4, 3, 2, 1) using the key words `ASC` and `DESC` in your `ORDER BY` clause. By default, a column will be ordered in ascending order - so if you want it ordered ascending, you don't need to add anything.

  ```sql theme={null}
  SUM(${table.column_I_want_to_sum}) OVER (
    ORDER BY
      ${table.column_I_want_to_order_by} ASC,
      ${table.optional_other_column_I_want_to_order_by} DESC
    ROWS BETWEEN UNBOUNDED PRECEDING AND CURRENT ROW
  )

  ```
</Info>