Formula to Count the Number of Rows in Which an Item Appears

Retired KB Content Disclaimer

View products that this article applies to.

This article was previously published under Q100790

Expand all | Collapse all

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Excel, you can use the FREQUENCY() function in a SUM(IF()) array formula to count the number of rows in which an item appears within a specified range.

To count how many rows in which a value appears in a specified range, use the following formula

=SUM(IF(FREQUENCY(IF(range=item,ROW(range)), IF(range=item,ROW(range)))>0,1,0))

where "range" is the range that you want to search and "item" is the number or text string you want to find within each row. If you are searching for a text string, include quotation marks around both instances of "item."

NOTE: The formulas discussed in this article must be entered as array formulas by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER in Microsoft Excel for Windows or by pressing COMMAND+ENTER in Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh.

Back to the top

MORE INFORMATION

For example, to find out how many rows in which "XXX" appears within the following range

   A1: XXX         B1: XXX         C1: XXX
   A2: YYY         B2: XXX         C2: XXX
   A3: DDD         B3: DDD         C3: YYY
   A4: XXX         B4: YYY         C4: DDD

use the following array formula:

=SUM(IF(FREQUENCY(IF(A1:C4="XXX",ROW(A1:C4)), IF(A1:C4="XXX",ROW(A1:C4)))>0,1,0))

This formula returns the value 3, indicating that "XXX" is contained in three rows of the range.

Back to the top

REFERENCES

"Function Reference," version 4.0, pages 178-179, 364

Back to the top

APPLIES TO

Microsoft Excel 97 Standard Edition
Microsoft Excel 98 for Macintosh

Back to the top

KB100790

Back to the top

Retired KB Content Disclaimer

This article was written about products for which Microsoft no longer offers support. Therefore, this article is offered "as is" and will no longer be updated.

Back to the top