How to Use The COUNTIF Function in Excel
The COUNTIF function can be input manually or using Excel’s Formulas menu. In either case, the eventual formula will look something like:
=COUNTIF(D4:D10,“Yes”)
In this COUNTIF example, the function would search through cells D4 through D10 looking for the word ‘Yes.’ It would then output a number of how many times it finds it in the cell you input the formula in.
You can write this in manually if you prefer, but an easier method is to use Excel’s Function menu.
What is the COUNTIF Function?
Excel is an excellent tool when it’s manually controlled, but it’s even better when you can automate parts of it. That’s where functions come in. From adding numbers together with SUM to removing non-printable characters with CLEAN. COUNTIF works in much the same way, but its job is to count the number of cells that match a certain criteria. It can be used to count cells that have certain figures in them, certain dates, text, special characters, or anything else you want to differentiate them with. It takes inputs and spits out a total number depending on your chosen criteria.
