Subtracting isn’t as straightforward in Excel as it seems, simply because there’s no actual command to subtract numbers. Instead, you have to use a formula with the subtraction operator.

How to subtract in Excel using cell references You don't have to subtract numbers in a single cell; you can also set up a formula that will subtract the values stored in multiple cells.

= credit – debit + previous balance Figure B shows the running total in column F. F3 contains the same simple expression as E3—subtract debit from credit.