There are two closely related worksheet functions in Excel: COUNT and COUNTA. The COUNT function counts all cells that contain numbers, while the COUNTA function counts all cells that are not empty. Thus, if you use COUNTA, you would get "phantom counts" if a cell contained a space; this problem would not occur if you used the COUNT function.
What can cause "phantom counts" when using COUNT is if some cells contain the value zero. This is considered a number by Excel, so it includes that cell in the count. The confusion often pops up if you have the worksheet configured to not display zero values. Thus, the cell could appear to be empty, but really contain a zero which affects COUNT.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (9201) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Excel in Microsoft 365.
Dive Deep into Macros! Make Excel do things you thought were impossible, discover techniques you won't find anywhere else, and create powerful automated reports. Bill Jelen and Tracy Syrstad help you instantly visualize information to make it actionable. You’ll find step-by-step instructions, real-world case studies, and 50 workbooks packed with examples and solutions. Check out Microsoft Excel 2019 VBA and Macros today!
The IF worksheet function is very handy to make conditional evaluations. You are not limited to a single IF comparison, ...
Discover MoreNeed to know what day of the year a certain date is? You can figure it out easily using the formulas in this tip.
Discover MoreYou may want to use Excel to display dates using a different language than your normal one. There are a couple of ways ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2026-01-17 17:35:23
Tony
Hi Allen
Thanks for your recent advise on COUNT and COUNT A. I struggle with the example you gave about cells that contain the number zero. With count, that cell contains a number...and so will be counted. With COUNTA, that cell is not empty, and will also be counted!
Please break it down to my idiotic level. I am a novice!
Tony
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2026 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments