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Written by Jacky Chou

How To Count Cells With Text In Excel: A Step-By-Step Guide

Key Takeaway:

  • Counting cells with text in Excel can be done using various methods such as the COUNTIF function, SUMPRODUCT function or a combination of functions. These functions allow users to count the number of cells with specific text values in a selected range of cells.
  • Using the COUNTIF function is a simple and effective method to count cells with text in Excel. This function allows users to specify the range of cells and the text value they want to count, and returns the total count of cells matching that criteria.
  • The SUMPRODUCT function is another method that can be used to count cells with text in Excel. This function allows users to multiply the range of cells by 1 if the cell contains the specific text value, and then sum the resulting array to get the total count of cells matching the criteria.

Do you struggle to count cells with text in Excel? This article will provide a step-by-step guide to help you quickly and easily count cells with text in Excel and save you time. You’ll learn how to master this useful skill in no time!

Counting cells with text in Excel

To count cells with text in Excel, you need several techniques. First, select the range you want to count. Use the COUNTIF or SUMPRODUCT function to finish the job. Or, combine these functions for a simpler solution.

Selecting the range of cells

To properly identify and count cells with text in Excel, it is essential to select the range of cells where the text can be found. Here is a six-step guide on how to select the appropriate cell range:

  1. Open a new Excel worksheet.
  2. Highlight or click on the first cell where you wish to start counting.
  3. Hold down the left mouse button and drag until you have highlighted all the cells you need.
  4. If needed, adjust your selection by holding down the ‘CTRL’ button and clicking on additional cells that need to be included/excluded.
  5. Once you’ve made your selections, release the mouse button.
  6. The selected cell range should now be visible with all necessary borders highlighted.

In addition, it’s important to note that selecting separate ranges of cells will only count cells with text within each individual range. For a total count of all text-containing cells, be sure to select one continuous range.

Don’t miss out on accurately counting your data because of incorrect cell selection. Follow these steps for precise results. Counting cells with text in Excel is like playing hide and seek with words, but the COUNTIF function is the ultimate seeker.

Using the COUNTIF function

To utilize the COUNTIF function, follow these steps:

  1. Identify the range of cells containing the data you wish to count.
  2. Select a new cell and use the formula bar to input =COUNTIF (range, criteria).
  3. Replace “range” with the cell range you identified in step one.
  4. In place of “criteria,” insert a formula that will specify what text must be present in order for it to be counted. Examples include: ="red", ="*cat*", or >=5.
  5. If you’re counting more than one criterion, use an operator such as “or” or “and”. For example: =COUNTIF(A1:A10,"red")+COUNTIF(A1:A10,"green").
  6. Hit enter, and Excel will display the number of cells containing text that meets your specifications.

When using COUNTIF function, remember that it’s case sensitive. If comparing text, ensure all characters match exactly.

Using COUNTIF can save time identifying certain information under a deadline, seeing accuracy reliability reducing errors when transferring data from multiple cells into one.

Don’t miss out on having useful skills of sharing professional resources through MS Excel software by employing COUNTIF Function.

Counting cells with text in Excel may be tedious, but with the SUMPRODUCT function, it’s as easy as counting down the seconds until happy hour.

Using the SUMPRODUCT function

To compute the sum of cells with text in Excel, using the SUMPRODUCT function is an effective solution. Here’s a guide on how to do it:

  1. Select the cell where you want your formula to be displayed.
  2. Type =SUMPRODUCT(--(ISTEXT(range))) and select the range of cells you want to count.
  3. Press ‘Ctrl’ + ‘Shift’ + ‘Enter’ to apply the formula as an array formula.
  4. The result will be displayed in the cell that contains your formula.
  5. You can also include additional criteria by adding another range enclosed with "()" in between "'ISTEXT(range))" and ")"
  6. Press ‘Ctrl’ + ‘Shift’ + ‘Enter.’

In addition, using the SUMPRODUCT function is useful for counting non-contiguous ranges of cells with text. Remember, this function multiplies corresponding elements within arrays and then returns the sum of those products.

Legend has it that one day a group of expert Excel users were trying to solve a complex problem. They discovered that using the SUMPRODUCT function saved them a tremendous amount of time and was able to solve their issue efficiently. From that day on, they became firm believers in its effectiveness and never turned back.

Get ready to combine like a mad scientist with text functions in Excel.

Using a combination of functions

To compute cells containing text, employ a fusion of functions to achieve accurate and efficient results.

Guideline:

  1. Use =ISNUMBER inside the COUNTIF formula.
  2. Add the wildcards ‘*’ and ‘?’ for flexible cell matching.
  3. Utilize nested IF conditions to examine every cell in your range.
  4. Combine SUMPRODUCT with LEN, or SUM with COUNTIF to tally only relevant cells.

By using a combination of functions, you can accurately count cells that contain text in your dataset with minimal effort and maximum accuracy.

Pro Tip: Incorporate conditional formatting into your spreadsheet to automatically highlight cells containing text, helping you filter out relevant data quickly.

5 Well-Known Facts About How to Count Cells with Text in Excel: A Step-by-Step Guide:

  • ✅ Excel provides multiple formulas for counting cells with text, including COUNTIF, COUNTIFS, and SUMPRODUCT. (Source: Excel Easy)
  • ✅ COUNTIF and COUNTIFS functions are used for counting cells based on a single and multiple criteria, respectively. (Source: Excel Jet)
  • ✅ SUMPRODUCT is a more advanced formula that can not only count cells with text but also perform arithmetic operations on them. (Source: Ablebits)
  • ✅ The wildcard characters (* and ?) can be used with COUNTIF and COUNTIFS functions to count cells with text matching a specific pattern. (Source: Excel Campus)
  • ✅ The syntax of these formulas can vary slightly depending on the version of Excel being used. (Source: TechJunkie)

FAQs about How To Count Cells With Text In Excel: A Step-By-Step Guide

1. How do I Count Cells with Text in Excel?

To count cells with text in Excel, follow these simple steps:

  1. Select the cell where you want to display the count.
  2. Enter the formula =COUNTIF(range,”\*”)
  3. Replace “range” with the range where you want to count cells with text.
  4. Press Enter and you’ll see the count of cells with text appear in the selected cell.

2. What if I want to count cells with specific text?

To count cells with specific text in Excel, follow these steps:

  1. Select the cell where you want to display the count.
  2. Enter the formula =COUNTIF(range,”text”)
  3. Replace “range” with the range where you want to count cells with specific text.
  4. Replace “text” with the specific text you want to count.
  5. Press Enter and you’ll see the count of cells with the specific text appear in the selected cell.

3. How do I count cells that contain both text and numbers?

To count cells that contain both text and numbers in Excel, follow these steps:

  1. Select the cell where you want to display the count.
  2. Enter the formula =SUMPRODUCT(–ISNUMBER(range))
  3. Replace “range” with the range where you want to count cells with text and numbers.
  4. Press Enter and you’ll see the count of cells with text and numbers appear in the selected cell.

4. Can I count cells with text across multiple sheets?

Yes, you can count cells with text across multiple sheets in Excel by using the formula =SUM(Sheet1:Sheet3!range,”\*”). Replace “Sheet1” and “Sheet3” with the names of the sheets you want to count cells on, and “range” with the actual range you want to count.

5. What if I want to ignore case sensitivity while counting cells with text?

To ignore case sensitivity while counting cells with text in Excel, follow these steps:

  1. Select the cell where you want to display the count.
  2. Enter the formula =COUNTIF(range,”\*text\*”)
  3. Replace “range” with the range where you want to count cells with text.
  4. Replace “text” with the specific text you want to count.
  5. Press Enter and you’ll see the count of cells with the specific text (ignoring case sensitivity) appear in the selected cell.

6. How do I count cells with text that meets multiple criteria?

To count cells with text that meets multiple criteria in Excel, follow these steps:

  1. Select the cell where you want to display the count.
  2. Enter the formula =COUNTIFS(range1,”text1″,range2,”text2″)
  3. Replace “range1” with the first range where you want to count cells with text based on the first criteria.
  4. Replace “text1” with the specific text you want to count based on the first criteria.
  5. Replace “range2” with the second range where you want to count cells with text based on the second criteria.
  6. Replace “text2” with the specific text you want to count based on the second criteria.
  7. Press Enter and you’ll see the count of cells with text that meet both criteria appear in the selected cell.

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