COUNT tells you how many numeric values are in a Google Sheets range. Use =COUNT(B2:B8) for column B. Numbers, including zero and numeric dates, count; text, blanks, and error cells in the range do not.
Count Numeric Cells in a Column
Enter this dataset starting in A1. Leave cells marked “(blank)” empty.
| Student | Score |
|---|---|
| Maya | 82 |
| Noah | Absent |
| Ari | 0 |
| Lena | 74 |
| Omar | 90 |
| Ava | (blank) |
| Leo | =NA() |
Enter this formula in E2:
=COUNT(B2:B8)The result is 3: 82, 0, and 74 are numeric. Absent, the text 90, the blank cell, and the #N/A error are excluded.
For Omar’s entry, type an apostrophe before 90: '90. Sheets stores it as text while displaying 90. Enter =NA() for Leo’s deliberate error. Leave Ava’s score empty.
COUNT Function Syntax
=COUNT(value1, [value2, ...])The arguments can be cells, ranges, or directly entered values. COUNT includes duplicate numbers; it counts numeric entries, not distinct values.
Direct arguments can be converted differently from range contents. The live test =COUNT(5,"10",TRUE) returned 3. Use real cell references when checking whether imported entries are actually numeric.
Choose COUNT or COUNTA
In the first dataset, =COUNTA(B2:B8) returns 6. COUNTA includes the two text entries and the error, while COUNT includes only the three numbers.
Use COUNTBLANK for empty cells, COUNTIF for a condition, and COUNTUNIQUE for distinct entries. Those functions answer different questions from “how many numbers?”
Count Across Separate Columns
Enter this dataset starting in A14. Leave cells marked “(blank)” empty.
| Student | Quiz 1 | Notes | Quiz 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 70 | Ready | 85 |
| B | (blank) | Pending | 75 |
| C | 80 | Ready | (blank) |
| D | 90 | Ready | 95 |
=COUNT(B15:B18,D15:D18)This returns 6, combining three numeric scores from each quiz column. Column C contains notes and is not included. Avoid overlapping ranges unless you intend to count the same entry twice.
Count Dates Without Treating COUNT as Date Validation
Enter this dataset starting in A24. Leave cells marked “(blank)” empty.
| Customer | Date |
|---|---|
| A | =DATE(2026,1,5) |
| B | 2026-01-06 |
| C | Pending |
| D | =DATE(2026,1,7) |
Enter the first and last dates with their DATE formulas. To keep the second entry as text for this test, type '2026-01-06.
=COUNT(B25:B28)This returns 2, because dates created by DATE are stored as numbers. The date-looking text and Pending label are skipped.
A counted number is not necessarily a valid date for your task. COUNT would also accept an ordinary numeric ID in this column. Use additional validation if the date itself matters.
Check for Missing or Nonnumeric Entries
=ROWS(B2:B8)-COUNT(B2:B8)The first dataset has seven score cells but only three numbers, so this returns 4. It identifies the number of entries needing review, including text and errors, rather than counting blanks alone.
Count Numeric Values That Meet a Condition
Enter this dataset starting in A34. Leave cells marked “(blank)” empty.
| Region | Sales |
|---|---|
| East | 100 |
| West | 200 |
| East | Pending |
| East | 300 |
| North | 400 |
| East | 0 |
=COUNT(FILTER(B35:B40,A35:A40="East"))The result is 3. Four records say East, but their values are 100, Pending, 300, and 0. Only the three numeric values count; counting East labels alone would answer a different question.
A no-match FILTER returns #N/A, but COUNT ignores that error and returns 0 in this tested combination. Likewise, =COUNT({1,NA(),2}) returns 2. Do not rely on COUNT to reveal source errors.
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