Cellwise

Counting function

Excel COUNT function

COUNT tells you how many cells in a range contain numbers. Dates count too, because Excel stores them as numbers. Text, blanks and errors are ignored, so it is great for counting how many results have actually come in.

fx=COUNT(value1, [value2], ...)

Arguments

value1
The first cell, range or value to count.
value2
Optional. More cells or ranges, up to 255.

COUNT examples

Every result below was calculated live from this sample sheet.

ABC
1InvoiceAmountPaid
2INV-30112501250
3INV-302860pending
4INV-3032400
5INV-304disputed600
6INV-305515515
  1. fx=COUNT(B2:B6)

    Result: 4

    Four invoices have a numeric amount. "disputed" is text, so it is skipped.

  2. fx=COUNT(C2:C6)

    Result: 3

    Invoices with a payment recorded. "pending" and the blank cell are ignored.

  3. fx=COUNT(A2:A6)

    Result: 0

    The invoice IDs are text, so COUNT finds nothing to count.

  4. fx=COUNT(B2:C6)

    Result: 7

    Count across two columns at once: four amounts plus three payments.

How to use COUNT

  1. Click an empty cell.
  2. Type =COUNT(
  3. Select the range to check.
  4. Close the bracket and press Enter.

Common COUNT mistakes

Counting text with COUNT

COUNT ignores text, so a column of names returns 0. Use COUNTA to count any non-empty cell.

Numbers stored as text

Imported numbers are often text, and COUNT skips them. Convert them to real numbers first.

Using COUNT to count matches

COUNT has no condition. Use COUNTIF to count cells equal to a value, like "Paid".

COUNT FAQ

What is the difference between COUNT and COUNTA in Excel?

COUNT only counts cells with numbers or dates. COUNTA counts every cell that is not empty, including text.

Why does COUNT return 0 in Excel?

The range contains text, not numbers. That includes numbers stored as text. Use COUNTA or convert the values.

Does COUNT include dates?

Yes. Excel stores dates as serial numbers, so COUNT treats them as numbers.

Practice COUNT in these lessons

Guides that use COUNT

Related functions

Updated 2026-10-31