Syntax
=COUNTA(value1, [value2, ...])
value1- A cell, range or value to count.
value2, ...- Optional. More ranges or values.
COUNTA function in Google Sheets
COUNTA counts every cell that isn't empty: numbers, text, TRUE/FALSE, even errors. Use it to count names, responses, or rows of data.
Practice COUNTA
Task 1 of 1
How many guests have replied (any answer at all)? Answer in D2.
Tip: while typing a formula, click a cell or drag across cells to insert references. Press Enter to check, and Tab to accept a function suggestion.
COUNTA examples
Each example below runs against this sample sheet. The results are calculated by the same engine as the practice grid.
| A | B | C | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Student | Class | Score | Passed |
| 2 | Priya | A | 92 | TRUE |
| 3 | Leo | B | 67 | FALSE |
| 4 | Chloe | A | 48 | FALSE |
| 5 | Mateo | B | 81 | TRUE |
| 6 | Ines | C | FALSE | |
| 7 | Kai | C | 75 | TRUE |
| Formula | Result | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
=COUNTA(A2:A7) | 6 | Number of students listed. |
=COUNTA(C2:C7) | 5 | Scores entered. The blank cell is skipped. |
=COUNTA(A1:D1) | 4 | Number of column headers. |
Tips and common mistakes
- A cell containing a formula that returns "" (an empty string) looks blank but is counted by COUNTA.
- A single space typed into a cell also counts. TRIM your data if numbers look too high.
Related functions
Learning step by step? COUNTA is covered in Lesson 5: COUNT, COUNTA & COUNTBLANK of the free course.