How to Use the COUNTIF Function in Excel

Excel can do extra than simply simple arithmetic. That is because of its bevy of built-in capabilities and min-formulas that simplify the creation of extra complicated formulation.

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

You should 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.

Methods to Use the COUNTIF Operate in Excel

The COUNTIF perform in Excel counts the variety of cells in a spread that meet the given standards. It doesn’t whole 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 comprises buyer contact info, together with avenue addresses and ZIP codes. You’ll be able to simply use the COUNTIF perform to rely what number of prospects reside in a given ZIP code — and also you don’t even should type the addresses by ZIP code to do it.

Let’s work via 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 record that I’ve written. The totally different gadgets I need to purchase are sorted by sort, like greens and fruit.

2. Outline a spread of cells.

For the COUNTIF perform to work, it’s a must to enter two arguments between the parentheses — the vary of cells you’re taking a look at 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 perform ought to now appear to be 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 must enter the standards or worth that you simply 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 record. On this occasion, the standards you’re counting is Vegetable, and your perform ought to now appear to be this:

=COUNTIF(A2:A35, “Vegetable“)

Word that your standards could be a quantity (“10”), textual content (“Los Angeles”), or one other cell (C3). Nevertheless, in the event you reference one other cell, you don’t encompass it with citation marks. Standards usually are not case-sensitive, so you possibly can enter “Pink,” “crimson,” or “RED” and get the identical outcomes.

5. Activate the perform.

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

Suggestions for Utilizing the COUNTIF Operate

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

Use wildcard characters for partial matches.

You don’t should reference a particular worth or standards. When you solely know a part of the worth you need to rely, you need to 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 (equivalent to 46032, 46033, and 46450), you’d enter 46 adopted by the * wildcard, like this:

=COUNTIF(D1:D20,“46*“)

You should 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 may rely cells that include the cities of Indianapolis and Minneapolis.

Depend values which are better than or lower than a quantity.

When you’re working with numbers, it’s possible you’ll need to rely cells with values better than or lower than a given worth. You do that through the use of the mathematical better than (>) and fewer than (<) indicators.

To rely all cells which have a worth better than a given quantity, equivalent to 10, enter this:

=COUNTIF(D1:D20,“>10“)

To rely cells which are better 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’ll be able to 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 situations, do not forget that the standards, together with the lower than, better than, and equal indicators, have to be enclosed inside citation marks.

Depend one worth OR one other.

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

For instance, you would possibly need to rely prospects who reside in both Los Angeles or San Diego. You do that through the use of two COUNTIF capabilities 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 perform.

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 suggestions, methods, and shortcuts that can make Excel even simpler to make use of.

Getting Began

When you’re seeking to rely the variety of gadgets that match particular standards, the COUNTIF perform is the best way to go. You can simply type on that column and manually rely the entries, however utilizing COUNTIF is a complete lot simpler.

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