Excel COUNT Formula (Table of Contents)
COUNT Formula in Excel
COUNT Formula is an in-built integrated function that is categorized under statistical function in excel (COUNT GROUP OF FUNCTIONS).
- COUNT formula is specific to only numbers.
- COUNT formula in excel is easy to use, flexible & very simple function with few arguments.
- COUNT formula can also be used with other excel functions to get the desired output.
COUNT Formula counts the number of cells in a range or array that contains numbers. By default, COUNT Formula counts numerical values, i.e. numbers and dates, in numeric format.
Formula or Syntax for COUNT function in excel is:
The COUNT formula in excel has the below-mentioned arguments:
- value1: (Compulsory or required argument) cell references or ranges where you want to count numbers.
- value2: (Optional or Not required argument) cell references or ranges where you want to count numbers.
Note: COUNT formula can contain up to 255 Value argument.
How to Use COUNT Formula in Excel?
COUNT Formula in Excel is very simple and easy to use.
Let’s understand the working of the COUNT Formula in Excel with few examples.
The below Table contains different types of datasets in each column. Column B(NUMBERS) contains only numeric values (Range: B2 to B7), Column C (DATES + NUMBERS) contains dates & numeric values (Range: C2 to C7), Column D (TEXT + NUMBERS) contains text value & numeric values (Range: D2 to D7) & Column E (FORMULA ERROR VALUES + NUMBERS) contains formula error values & numeric values (Range: E2 to E7).
Now, let’s apply the COUNT formula for each column datasets & check out the numeric value count.
Example #1 – Column B datasets (Only numeric values)
Let’s apply the COUNT formula in cell “B9”. Select the cell “B9” where the COUNT formula needs to be applied.
- Click the Insert function button (fx) under the formula toolbar, a dialog box will appear.
- Type the keyword “COUNT” in the search for a function box; the COUNT formula will appear in select a function box. Double click on the COUNT formula.
- A dialog box appears where arguments for the COUNT formula needs to be entered or filled, i.e. =COUNT (value1, [value2] …)
Value1: (Compulsory or required argument) cell references or ranges where you want to count numbers.
- To enter the value argument, Select the cell range from B2:B7. Click ok after entering the Value1 argument.
=COUNT(B2:B7)
COUNT formula returns the value 6 because the data range B2:B7 contains only numerical values.
Example #2 – Column C Datasets (Date value & Numbers)
Let’s apply the COUNT formula in cell “C9”. Select the cell “C9” where the COUNT formula needs to be applied.
- Click the Insert function button (fx) under the formula toolbar, a dialog box will appear.
- Type the keyword “COUNT” in the search for a function box; the COUNT formula will appear in select a function box. Double click on the COUNT formula.
- A dialog box appears where arguments for the COUNT formula needs to be entered or filled, i.e. =COUNT (value1, [value2] …)
Value1: (Compulsory or required argument) cell references or ranges where you want to count numbers.
- Select the cell range C2:C7. So that column range will get selected. Click ok after entering the Value1 argument.
=COUNT (C2:C7)
- COUNT Formula returns the value 6 because the data range C2: C7.
Here COUNT Formula reads or analyzes the date as a number; here, column C contains dates (In date or numeric format) & numerical values.
Example #3 – Column D Datasets (Text & Numbers)
Let’s apply the COUNT formula in cell “D9”. Select the cell “D9” where the COUNT formula needs to be applied.
- Click the Insert function button (fx) under the formula toolbar, a dialog box will appear.
- Type the keyword “COUNT” in the search for a function box; the COUNT formula will appear in select a function box.
- Double click on the COUNT function.
- A dialog box appears where arguments for the COUNT formula needs to be entered or filled, i.e. =COUNT (value1, [value2] …)
Value1: (Compulsory or required argument) cell references or ranges where you want to count numbers.
- Select the cell range D2:D7. So that column range will get selected. Click ok after entering the Value1 argument.
=COUNT (D2:D7)
COUNT formula returns the value 4 because the data range D2:D7.
Here COUNT formula ignores the TEXT value and considers only numbers or a numeric value.
Example #4 – Column E Datasets (Formula error values & Numbers)
Let’s apply the COUNT formula in cell “E9”. Now, click in the cell “E9”, where the formula should be applied.
- Click on the insert function button option, i.e. “fx” in the formula toolbar, insert function dialog box popup appear.
- Now you have to type the word “COUNT” in the search for a function text box; once this is done COUNT formula will appear in select a function box.
- Double click on the COUNT function.
- A dialog box appears where arguments for the COUNT formula needs to be entered or filled, i.e. =COUNT (value1, [value2] …)
Value1: (Compulsory or required argument) cell references or ranges where you want to count numbers.
- For this, you need to enter the column data set range, i.e. E2: E7. Click ok after entering the Value1 argument.
=COUNT (E2: E7)
- COUNT formula returns the value 4 because the data range E2: E7. Here COUNT formula ignores FORMULA ERROR values and considers only numbers or a numeric value.
Things to Remember about COUNT Formula in Excel
- COUNT formula doesn’t count logical values TRUE or FALSE.
- Empty or the COUNT formula does not count blank cells and text.
- COUNT formula counts a number which is enclosed in quotation marks, e.g. “1.”
- If the numbers are saved as a text value in cell references or range, then the COUNT formula will not consider them as numbers.
- The maximum number of value argument entries in the COUNT formula allowed is 255.
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