If you count the number of cells with numbers, please use the COUNT function. To count the number of cells that start with a text string, you can use the COUNTIF function.
Example: You are working on a database with the names in column A, and the salary in column B.
Formula 1: To count how many people have names starting with "Liam"
= Countif(A2:A8, "Liam*")
The wild card asterisk (*) stands for "all letters" after "Liam".
There are 0 people having names starting with "Liam".
Formula 2: To count how many people's names starting with "JA" and have 6 letters in total
= Countif(A2:A8, "JA????")
The wild card question mark (?) stands for "one letter". To have 6 letters and start with "JS", you need 4 question marks in the formula. While the wild card of an asterisk (*) represents all the letters, the question mark (?) represents only one letter.
One person's name starts with JA and 6 letters in total, "JACK T".
Note: The COUNTIF function
= COUNTIF(Range, "Text*"),
where the asterisk (*) stands for all other letters.
Explanations:
– The range is required, the range of cells that you want to count;
– "Text*" is required, a text string you look for; an asterisk (*) is the wild card for other letters.
Cautions:
The COUNTIF function can count the range of cells with a single criterion. Please refer to the COUNTIFS function to meet two or more criteria.