How to Use the COUNTIF Function in Excel

Excel can do extra than simply basic math. That is due to its bevy of built-in features and min-formulas that simplify the creation of extra advanced formulation.

In my decade-long expertise with Excel, I’ve discovered that one of many extra helpful features is the COUNTIF operate.

You need to use COUNTIF to rely the variety of cells that include a particular worth or vary of values. It’s simpler to make use of COUNTIF than to manually rely your self.

Easy methods to Use the COUNTIF Perform in Excel

The COUNTIF operate in Excel counts the variety of cells in a spread that meet the given standards. It doesn’t complete the cells; it merely counts them. I’ve discovered it helpful for counting cells that include a particular worth or vary of values.

For instance, let’s say you have got a spreadsheet that incorporates buyer contact data, together with road addresses and ZIP codes. You may simply use the COUNTIF operate to rely what number of clients dwell in a given ZIP code — and also you don’t even should type the addresses by ZIP code to do it.

Let’s work by means of the method step-by-step.

1. =COUNTIF()

Start by coming into the next into the cell the place you need to place the reply:

=COUNTIF()

For this instance, we’ll use a grocery listing that I’ve written. The totally different objects I need to purchase are sorted by sort, like greens and fruit.

2. Outline a spread of cells.

For the COUNTIF operate to work, it’s a must to enter two arguments between the parentheses — the vary of cells you’re and the standards you need to match.

Place your cursor inside the parentheses and both manually enter the vary of cells (e.g., D1:D20) or use your mouse to focus on the vary of cells in your spreadsheet.

Assuming your ZIP code values are in column D from row 1 to row 20, the operate ought to now seem like this:

=COUNTIF(A2:A35)

3. Add a comma.

Subsequent, sort a comma after the vary, like this:

=COUNTIF(A2:A35,)

4. Outline your search standards.

You now have to enter the factors or worth that you just need to rely after the comma, surrounded by citation marks.

In our instance, let’s say you’re seeking to see what number of greens are in your listing. On this occasion, the factors you’re counting is Vegetable, and your operate ought to now seem like this:

=COUNTIF(A2:A35, “Vegetable“)

Be aware that your standards could be a quantity (“10”), textual content (“Los Angeles”), or one other cell (C3). Nevertheless, in case you reference one other cell, you don’t encompass it with citation marks. Standards aren’t case-sensitive, so you might enter “Pink,” “purple,” or “RED” and get the identical outcomes.

5. Activate the operate.

Press Enter, and the operate prompts, returning the variety of cells that match your argument.

Suggestions for Utilizing the COUNTIF Perform

Many customers, myself included, have found that you should use the COUNTIF operate in many alternative methods moreover counting particular values. Listed here are three ideas I like to recommend for extending using the COUNTIF operate.

Use wildcard characters for partial matches.

You don’t should reference a particular worth or standards. In case you solely know a part of the worth you need to rely, you should use the * wildcard character to match any worth in that a part of the worth.

For instance, let’s say you have got an inventory of addresses. If you wish to match all ZIP codes that begin with the numbers 46 (reminiscent of 46032, 46033, and 46450), you’d enter 46 adopted by the * wildcard, like this:

=COUNTIF(D1:D20,“46*“)

You need to use the wildcard character at both the start or the top of the worth string. For instance, to rely all cells that finish with the letters “polis,” enter the next:

=COUNTIF(D1:D20,“*polis“)

This can rely cells that include the cities of Indianapolis and Minneapolis.

Rely values which are larger than or lower than a quantity.

In case you’re working with numbers, you might need to rely cells with values larger than or lower than a given worth. You do that through the use of the mathematical larger than (>) and fewer than (<) indicators.

To rely all cells which have a worth larger than a given quantity, reminiscent of 10, enter this:

=COUNTIF(D1:D20,“>10“)

To rely cells which are larger than or equal to a quantity, enter this:

=COUNTIF(D!:D20“>=10“)

To rely all cells which have a worth lower than a given quantity, enter this:

=COUNTIF(D1:D20“<10“)

To rely cells which have a worth lower than or equal to a given quantity, enter this:

=COUNTIF(D1:D20“<=10“)

You may even rely cells with a worth not equal to a particular quantity. For instance, to rely cells that aren’t equal to the quantity 10, enter this:

=COUNTIF(D1:D20“<>10“)

In all these cases, keep in mind that the factors, together with the lower than, larger than, and equal indicators, should be enclosed inside citation marks.

Rely one worth OR one other.

The COUNTIF operate can be used to rely a number of standards—that’s, cells that include one worth or one other.

For instance, you may need to rely clients who dwell in both Los Angeles or San Diego. You do that through the use of two COUNTIF features with a + between them, like this:

=COUNTIF(D1:D20,“Los Angeles“)+COUNTIF(D1:D20,“San Diego“)

So as to add much more values, enter one other + and COUNTIF operate.

If you wish to get much more out of Excel, try our article on how to use Excel like a pro. You’ll discover 29 highly effective ideas, tips, and shortcuts that may make Excel even simpler to make use of.

Getting Began

In case you’re seeking to rely the variety of objects that match particular standards, the COUNTIF operate is the best way to go. You could possibly simply type on that column and manually rely the entries, however utilizing COUNTIF is an entire lot simpler.

Now, strive it out and save your self a while.