Excel COUNTA Function
COUNTA counts cells that are not empty, including numbers, text, dates, logical values, and formulas.
Use it when you need to measure how many entries exist in a list, whether the entries are numeric or text-based.
COUNTA syntax & arguments
Syntax
=COUNTA(value1, [value2], ...)
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1
value1
RequiredThe first value, cell reference, or range to check for non-empty entries.
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2
value2
Optional RepeatableAdditional values, cell references, or ranges to check for non-empty entries.
Example
=COUNTA(A2:A20)
Count how many cells in A2:A20 contain any kind of value.
COUNTA caveats
COUNTA is useful for completeness checks, but it treats almost any cell content as something to count.
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It is not number-only
COUNTA includes text and logical values. Use COUNT when only numeric values should count.
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Blank-looking formulas count
A formula that returns
""still lives in the cell, so COUNTA includes it. -
Spaces count as content
A cell that appears blank but contains a space or other invisible character is counted.
Need numeric cells only? Use COUNT when only numbers, dates, and times should count.
Intro COUNTA practice problem
Solve the intro problem directly here, or open it on its own page.
Advanced COUNTA practice problems
Use COUNTA alongside other Excel functions in realistic, less-prescriptive challenges.
