# total

Calculates an approximate floating-point sum. Unlike `sum`, it returns `0.0` when no non-`NULL` value contributes.

```text
total(value)
```

The argument is a numeric expression. `NULL` values are skipped, and legacy text or blob inputs follow SQL numeric conversion. Native nonnumeric values require an explicit numeric cast.

The result is `REAL`, including when every input is an integer or decimal. Use [`sum`](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/aggregate-functions/sum) when the total must remain exact. Nonfinite arithmetic can produce infinity; an indeterminate NaN result becomes SQL `NULL`.

**Empty input**

```sql
SELECT sum(generate_series), total(generate_series)
FROM generate_series(1, 3)
WHERE generate_series > 10
FORMAT csv;
```

```text
\N,0.0
```