How to count values in Google Sheets

In Google Sheets, the COUNT function counts the number of numeric values in the list of inputs and the number of cells containing numbers. Use the COUNT function to get the number of entries in a number field that are inside a range or array of numbers.

Syntax

The basic syntax for the COUNT function is:

Here, value1 and value2 represents the cell number or any numeric value. It’s worth noting that we have the flexibility to include additional cells as needed.

Note: Instead of using explicit values, we can also use ranges or cell references.

Examples

Following are the basic examples of using COUNT:

Simple values

If we simply want to see how many values we have added in our COUNT function, we can use the formula below:

List of cells

If we want to COUNT by providing the list of cells, we can use the formula below:

Range of cells

If we want to COUNT by providing the range of cells, we can use the formula below:

Steps

The following is a step-by-step guide to using the COUNT function:

1. Select the cell: We click on the cell where we want the count to appear.

2. Use the COUNT function: We type =COUNT( into the selected cell.

3. Select the range: If we want to count the number of cells in the range A1 to A5, there are two ways to achieve the desired result:

   1. We can enter “A1:A5” after the opening parenthesis and then close the parenthesis and press “Enter.” The formula should look something like this: =COUNT(A1:A5).

   2. We can also enter “A1,A2,A3,A4,A5” after the opening parenthesis and then close the parenthesis and press “Enter.” The formula should look something like this: =COUNT(A1,A2,A3,A4,A5).

Let’s now apply the steps above on our dataset. Let’s suppose we have the following dataset, and our objective is to determine the number of products that result in a sale.

Now, our objective is to determine the number of products that result in a sale. We intend to examine whether any of the products remain unsold. There are two ways to find the count. Let’s use both:

Calculating the count with list of cells

First we select the cell, where we need to count the numbers of cells that consist of any numeric values. Let's suppose here the cell number is B12. After we select the “cell(B12),” write the following in the cell:

Let's visualize the steps above in action.

Note: As we can see in the slides above, when multiple cells are added, the system automatically highlights the cell number and alters its color for easier identification.

If an empty cell is included in a count formula and subsequently populated with a value, the total in cell B12, where the count is calculated, will automatically update to reflect the new value.

In the slides above, the total number of products are 8, but when we use count it displays 7 that means there is one product that is remain unsold.

Calculating the count by specifying the range

First we select the cell, where we need to count the numbers of cells that consist of any numeric values. Let’s suppose here the cell number is B12. After we select the “cell(B12),” write the following in the cell:

Let's visualize the steps above in action.