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How to Count in Excel
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Examples
COUNT COUNT NOT ""
COUNTA COUNTIFS
COUNTBLANK COUNTIFS_Crit
COUNTIF Exact MonthYear
COUNTIF Wildcard COUNTIFS Date
COUNTIF Operator SUBTOTAL
COUNTIF Range AGGREGATE
DupsFalse SUBTOTAL2
NumInNum MyLinks
SUMPRODUCT
 Qty Count Cells with Numbers -- Excel COUNT
50

5.5
10

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 Qty Count Cells with Data -- COUNTA
50

5.5
10

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file:///conversion/tmp/scratch/404930602.xlsx 12/18/2018
 Qty Count Blank Cells -- COUNTBLANK
50

5.5
10

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file:///conversion/tmp/scratch/404930602.xlsx 12/18/2018
 Item Qty Count cells that match criteria -- COUNTIF
Pen 5 Match criterion exactly
Pencil 9
Binder 9
Pen 6
Pen 15
Binder 12
Pencil 10
Binder 6
Pen 11

4
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 Item Qty Count cells that match criteria -- COUNTIF
Pen 5 Match criterion in a string
Pencil 9
Binder 9
Pen 6
Gel Pen 12
Binder 12
Pencil 10
Binder 6
Pen 11

6
6 pen <==enter a text string in the yellow cell, e.g. "pen"

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 Item Qty Count cells that match criteria -- COUNTIF
Pen 5 Criterion and operator
Pencil 9
Binder 9
Pen 6
Pen 15
Binder 12
Pencil 10
Binder 6
Pen 11

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 Item Qty Count cells that match criteria -- COUNTIF
Pen 5 Match criteria in a range
Pencil 9
Binder 9
Pen 6
Pen 15
Binder 12
Pencil 10
Binder 6
Pen 11

6
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Code Dup COUNTIF Dup SUMPRODUCT
123 0 0 The second argument of COUNTIF is
00123 1 0 treated as text, so you might see false duplicates
234 0 0 such as 00123 = 123
567 0 0
00567 1 0 Use SUMPRODUCT to avoid this, where necessary
0000234 1 0
0234 1 0
5678 0 0
000234 1 0
List Type Count Numbers in Other Numbers
12345 Num Find specific numbers or letters within other numbers or text strings
A12345 Text
a12345 Text Count: 1 In the list, 4 items contain "1" (case-sensitive)
B23456 Text In the list, 4 items contain "1" (NOT case-sensitive)
12345 Text
23456 Num Use SUMPRODUCT with ISNUMBER and FIND or SEARCH
Use FIND to count numbers, or case-sensitive letters
4 =SUMPRODUCT(--ISNUMBER(FIND($E$4,$A$2:$A$7)))
Use SEARCH to count numbers, or upper and lower case letters (not case-sensitive)
4 =SUMPRODUCT(--ISNUMBER(SEARCH($E$4,$A$2:$A$7)))

COUNTIF does NOT count numbers within a number, just in a text string
When looking for "1", COUNTIF gives an incorrect result -- 3 -- because it doesn't count cell B2
3 =COUNTIF($A$2:$A$7,"*" & E4 & "*")
se-sensitive)

it doesn't count cell B2

Item Qty Count cells that match multiple criteria -- SUMPRODUCT
Pen 5
Pencil 9 Pen 10
Binder 9
Pen 6
Pen 15
Binder 12
Pencil 10
Binder 6
Pen 11

2
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SUMPRODUCT
Item Qty Sold Count cells that do not contain an empty string
Pen 5 Pen
Pencil COUNTIF <> 9 <== counts text and empty strings
Binder 9 Binder COUNTIF <> & "" 9 <== counts text and empty strings
Pen 6 Pen COUNTIF >=! 5 <== counts cells with text >= ! (char
Pen COUNTIF ?* 5 <== counts cells with at least one ch
Binder 1
Pencil 10 Pencil COUNTA 9 counts all text, including empty string
Binder COUNTBLANK 3 counts empty strings as if blank
Pen 11 Pen Difference 6 subtract empty cells from total count

www.contextures.com SUMPRODUCT 6 <== use SUMPRODUCT to count c

3
Code Character
32
33 !
34 "
35 #
36 $
37 %
38 &
39 '
40 (
41 )
42 *
43 +
44 ,
45 -
46 .
47 /
48 0
49 1
50 2
51 3
52 4
53 5
54 6
55 7
56 8
57 9
58 :
59 ;
60 <
61 =
tain an empty string ""
unts text and empty strings
unts text and empty strings
unts cells with text >= ! (char 33)
unts cells with at least one character

ll text, including empty strings

mpty strings as if blank
empty cells from total count

e SUMPRODUCT to count cells that don't contain empty string

Item Qty Count cells that match multiple criteria -- COUNTIFS
Pen 5 For Excel 2007 and later versions only
Pencil 9 Pen 10
Binder 9
Pen 6
Pen 15
Binder 12
Pencil 10
Binder 6
Pen 11

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COUNTIFS
Day Region Qty Problem Count cells with any text in one column,
Mon East 95 late specific text in another column -- COUNTIFS
Tue West 150 For Excel 2007 and later versions only
Wed West 137 hold
Thu West 112 Region East
Fri Central 57 defects
Mon West 69 Problems 2 East Region Problems
Tue East 126
Wed East 130 shortage Qty 471 Sum for East region
Thu East 120
Fri West 84 Count 4 Count of East region

Problems 2 SUMPRODUCT -- ignores empty strings created by formu

To see the difference, type ="" in cell D10
G7 will change, to show 3 problems
rings created by formulas
 Date Orders for Month & Year Count cells in specific month and year -- SU
3/1/2016 3 www.contextures.com
OrderDate Product Qty Price Total
1/1/2016 Pen 54 5.00 270.00 Type a date in cell A2
1/22/2016 Binder 15 8.25 123.75 to see a count of orders in that month and year
2/12/2016 Pen 51 5.00 255.00
3/4/2016 Pen 61 5.00 305.00
3/25/2016 Pencil 67 3.50 234.50
3/28/2016 Binder 58 8.25 478.50
5/6/2016 Binder 10 8.25 82.50
5/27/2016 Pen 22 5.00 110.00
5/29/2016 Pen 73 5.00 365.00
7/8/2016 Binder 34 8.25 280.50
7/29/2016 Pencil 25 3.50 87.50
9/1/2016 Pencil 69 3.50 241.50
9/9/2016 Binder 28 8.25 231.00
9/30/2016 Pencil 36 3.50 126.00
12/1/2016 Binder 31 8.25 255.75
12/5/2016 Binder 16 8.25 132.00
12/18/2016 Pen 44 5.00 220.00
12/23/2016 Pen 23 5.00 115.00
1/13/2017 Binder 27 8.25 222.75
2/3/2017 Pencil 43 3.50 150.50
2/24/2017 Pencil 123 3.50 430.50
3/17/2017 Pen 42 5.00 210.00
th and year -- SUMPRODUCT
 Product Ship from 15-Aug Total www.contextures.com
Binder to 15-Sep 1

OrderDate Product Qty Price Total ShipDate

5-Aug Pen 54 5.00 270.00 13-Aug
12-Aug Binder 15 8.25 123.75 13-Aug List for Drop Down
19-Aug Pen 51 5.00 255.00 20-Aug Binder
26-Aug Pen 61 5.00 305.00 4-Sep Pen
2-Sep Binder 28 8.25 231.00 11-Sep Pencil
9-Sep Pencil 36 3.50 126.00 16-Sep
16-Sep Binder 31 8.25 255.75 26-Sep
23-Sep Binder 16 8.25 132.00 24-Sep
28-Sep Pen 44 5.00 220.00 1-Oct
29-Sep Pen 23 5.00 115.00 30-Sep
8-Oct Binder 27 8.25 222.75 10-Oct
13-Oct Pencil 43 3.50 150.50 21-Oct
16-Oct Pencil 123 3.50 430.50 20-Oct
18-Oct Pen 42 5.00 210.00 20-Oct

Count cells that match date range criteria -- COUNTIFS

For Excel 2007 and later versions only
Item Units Cost Total Count Rows in a Filtered List -- SUBTOTAL
Pen 5 15 75
Pencil 9 5 45
Binder 9 10 90 In the SUBTOTAL function, 3 as the
Pen first argument is COUNTA. This
15 counts the cells with data that are
Pen 15 15 225 visible after a filter has been
Binder 12 10 120 applied. Even cells with empty
Pencil 5 50 strings are counted, e.g. cell D5.
10
Binder 6 10 60
Pen 11 15 165 In the SUBTOTAL function, 2 as
9 the first argument is COUNT. This
counts the numbers that are visible
8 after a filter has been applied.

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List -- SUBTOTAL
 Count: 2 AGGREGATE - ignore errors

Item Units Cost Total Count Rows in a Filtered List -- AGGREG

Binder 9 10 90
Binder n/a 10 #VALUE!
Binder 6 10 60

=AGGREGATE(3,3,Table1[Total])

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tered List -- AGGREGATE
Item Units Cost Total Count Visible Items in a Filtered List
Pen 15 15 225
Binder 12 10 120
Pen 11 15 165

Pen #VALUE!
The Total column is filtered for
amounts greater than 100.
The SUMPRODUCT formula
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counts only the visible
occurrences of Pen in cells
A1:A10
Filtered List
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