Sunday, September 29, 2024

Use the COUNTIF Perform in Excel

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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 perform.

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

Use the COUNTIF Perform in Excel

The COUNTIF perform in Excel counts the variety of cells in a variety 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 selected worth or vary of values.

For instance, let’s say you could have a spreadsheet that accommodates buyer contact data, together with avenue addresses and ZIP codes. You possibly can 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 by the method step-by-step.

1. =COUNTIF()

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

=COUNTIF()

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

2. Outline a variety of cells.

For the COUNTIF perform to work, you must enter two arguments between the parentheses — the vary of cells you’re taking a look at and the standards you wish to match.

Place your cursor throughout 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, kind a comma after the vary, like this:

=COUNTIF(A2:A35,)

4. Outline your search standards.

You now must enter the factors or worth that you simply wish to rely after the comma, surrounded by citation marks.

In our instance, let’s say you’re trying to see what number of greens are in your checklist. On this occasion, the factors you’re counting is Vegetable, and your perform ought to now appear to be this:

=COUNTIF(A2:A35, Vegetable)

Observe that your standards generally is 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 should not case-sensitive, so you would enter “Crimson,” “purple,” 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 Perform

Many customers, myself included, have found that you need to use the COUNTIF perform in many various methods moreover counting particular values. Listed below are three ideas I like to recommend for extending the usage of the COUNTIF perform.

Use wildcard characters for partial matches.

You don’t should reference a selected worth or standards. In case you solely know a part of the worth you wish 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 could have an inventory of addresses. If you wish to match all ZIP codes that begin with the numbers 46 (corresponding to 46032, 46033, and 46450), you’d enter 46 adopted by the * wildcard, like this:

=COUNTIF(D1:D20,46*)

You should utilize 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)

It will rely cells that include the cities of Indianapolis and Minneapolis.

Rely values which can be larger than or lower than a quantity.

In case you’re working with numbers, chances are you’ll wish to rely cells with values larger than or lower than a given worth. You do that by utilizing the mathematical larger than (>) and fewer than (<) indicators.

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

=COUNTIF(D1:D20,>10)

To rely cells which can be 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 possibly can even rely cells with a worth not equal to a selected 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, have to be enclosed inside citation marks.

Rely 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 wish to rely prospects who reside in both Los Angeles or San Diego. You do that by utilizing 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 perform.

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

Getting Began

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

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

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