How to Count Excel Cells with Text

When working with large amounts of data in Excel, it’s common to encounter cells containing text. If you need to count the number of cells in a range that contain text, there are a few easy methods. Whether you want to know how many cells contain certain keywords or if you simply need a count of all the non-blank cells in a selected range, Excel provides various ways to accomplish your task. In this blog post, we’ll explore a few different approaches for counting Excel cells with text.

Introduction

When working with large amounts of data in Excel, it’s common to encounter cells containing text. If you need to count the number of cells in a range that contain text, there are a few easy methods. Whether you want to know how many cells contain certain keywords or if you simply need a count of all the non-blank cells in a selected range, Excel provides various ways to accomplish your task. In this blog post, we’ll explore a few different approaches for counting Excel cells with text.

Method 1: Using COUNTIF Function

The COUNTIF function in Excel is a powerful tool for counting cells that meet specific criteria. To count cells that contain text, you can use the COUNTIF function and specify the criteria as a text string. Here are the steps:

Step 1:

Select the range that you want to count cells with text in.

Step 2:

Click on the formula bar and type in the following formula: =COUNTIF(range,”*”)

Note that the asterisk (*) acts as a wildcard character and tells Excel to count any cell that contains any type of text or numbers.

Step 3:

Press Enter on your keyboard to get the result that displays the total number of cells with text.

Method 2: Using the LEN and SUBSTITUTE Functions

This method uses the LEN and SUBSTITUTE functions to count the number of characters in a range of cells that contain text. Here are the steps:

Step 1:

Select the range of cells that you want to count that contain text.

Step 2:

In a blank cell, type the following formula: =SUM(LEN(range))-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(range,” “,””))

Note that the spaces between the quotes in the SUBSTITUTE function should be left empty. This is because we are substituting spaces with nothing, and by leaving the quotes empty, Excel knows to replace spaces with nothing.

Step 3:

Press Enter on your keyboard to get the total count of characters in cells that contain text.

Method 3: Using the FIND Function

The FIND function in Excel is another tool that can be used to locate and count specific text within a range of cells. Here are the steps:

Step 1:

Select the range of cells that you want to count that contain specific text.

Step 2:

In a blank cell, type the following formula: =COUNTIF(range,”*text*”)

Replace “text” with the specific text you want to count.

Step 3:

Press Enter on your keyboard to get the total count of cells that contain the specific text you were looking for.

Closing Thoughts

Now that you know these three methods, counting Excel cells with text should be a breeze! Use these methods to quickly and accurately count cells with text in Excel, and save yourself time and headaches in the process.

Why Counting Excel Cells with Text is Important

Counting excel cells with text can be important for a number of reasons. For example, you may need to know the number of cells that contain certain keywords in order to classify data or to prepare reports. Or you may need to count the number of non-blank cells in a range that contain text to ensure data accuracy and completeness.

How to Identify Cells with Text in Excel

Before you start counting cells with text, it’s important to know how to identify which cells contain text. One easy way to do this is to use the conditional formatting feature in Excel. Here are the steps:

Step 1:

Select the range of cells that you want to identify cells with text in.

Step 2:

Click on “Conditional Formatting” in the “Home” menu.

Step 3:

Select “New Rule” and then “Use a formula to determine which cells to format”.

Step 4:

Type the following formula: =ISTEXT(A1)

Note that the cell reference in the formula (A1 in this example) should be the top-left cell of the range you selected in step 1.

Step 5:

Click “OK” and select a formatting style to highlight all the cells in the range that contain text.

Other Tips for Counting Cells with Text in Excel

Here are some additional tips to help you count cells with text in Excel:

• Use the “CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER” keyboard shortcut to enter array formulas that count cells with specific text criteria.
• Use the “COUNTA” function to count the total number of non-blank cells in a selected range, even if they contain numbers, text, or other values.
• Use the “SEARCH” function to count cells that contain case-sensitive text.

Counting Excel cells with text might seem like a daunting task, but with the right approach, it can be both easy and efficient. Whether you need to count cells that contain certain keywords or simply need a quick way to verify data accuracy, these methods will help you get the job done with minimal effort.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about counting Excel cells with text:

Can I count cells with specific keywords instead of all text?

Yes, you can use the COUNTIF function in Excel and specify the criteria as a text string. This allows you to count cells that contain specific keywords or phrases. For example, if you want to count all the cells that contain the word “mango,” you can enter “=COUNTIF(range,”*mango*”)”.

Can I count cells with text in a specific case?

Yes, you can use the SEARCH function instead of FIND function to count cells with text in a specific case. The SEARCH function is case-sensitive, while the FIND function is not. Simply replace “FIND” with “SEARCH” in the formulas provided in this blog post.

Can I count the total number of characters in cells with text?

Yes, you can use the LEN and SUM functions to count the total number of characters in cells with text. Simply replace “COUNTA” with “SUM” in the formula provided in this blog post, which is “=SUM(LEN(range))-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(range,” “,””))”.

Can I count cells with multiple criteria?

Yes, you can use the COUNTIFS function in Excel to count cells that meet multiple criteria. For example, if you want to count all the cells that contain the word “mango” and are in the color green, you can enter “=COUNTIFS(range1,”*mango*”,range2,”green”)”.

Can I count cells with text in multiple worksheets?

Yes, you can select a range of cells that spans multiple worksheets and use the formulas provided in this blog post to count cells with text across all worksheets. Simply select the combined range of cells and enter the formula in a blank cell on any worksheet.