While the SUM function itself isn't designed to add characters or words directly, you can achieve this effect in Excel by combining SUM with other functions. Here are two common approaches:

1. Using CONCATENATE or TEXT functions with SUM:

* Scenario: Imagine you have a data set where you want to add a prefix ("$") to each number before summing them.

* Steps:
1. In a separate column, use the CONCATENATE function (or TEXT function for more formatting options) to combine the prefix with the corresponding cell value. For example, if your data is in column A, in cell B2 you could enter: `=CONCATENATE("$",A2)`. This would prepend a dollar sign ($) to the value in cell A2.
2. In another cell (e.g., C2), use the SUM function to sum the values in your new column containing the combined text and numbers (e.g., B2:B10). So, your formula would be: `=SUM(B2:B10)`.

2. Using a helper column with SUM and a character reference:

* Scenario: You want to add the word "count" after each number in a list before summing them.

* Steps:
1. Create a helper column (e.g., Column B) next to your data.
2. In the helper column, use the formula `=A2 & " count"` (replace A2 with your data cell reference). The "&" symbol concatenates the text and the value from column A.
3. In another cell (e.g., C2), use the SUM function to sum the values in your helper column (e.g., B2:B10). This will effectively add " count" to each number before summing them.

Important Notes:

* These methods modify the data for display purposes only. The underlying values in your original data column remain unchanged.
* If you truly need to combine text and numbers into a single cell for further calculations, consider using text functions like TEXT or CONCATENATE permanently.
* Explore alternative functions like SUMIF or SUMIFS if you need to conditionally sum based on specific criteria within your data.