Summing based on Criteria

[cdevericks]

I've put together a budget sheet & checkbook registry on separate sheets in a workbook. On my budget sheet I have the columns broken down by pay periods and the rows into different categories. On my checkbook registry I have a drop down list to select the corresponding category that relates back to my categories on my budget sheet. I'm trying to get my budget sheet cells for the different categories in a pay period to add all the sums of a certain category within the pay period on the checkbook registry automatically without having to manually add the numbers and input them from the checkbook registry.
Ex. category on budget sheet is "MISC". I want to have the cell G7 which is the category "MISC" during pay period 5/2/08 - 5/15/08 to add the sums on the checkbook registry that column E = "MISC" ,date in column F is on or between 5/2/08 - 5/15/08, and add the sums of column H that meet the requirements of E & F.
I don't know if this is possible with a function or will have to be done with programming. I have no programing background. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Using Excel 2003