Here’s how COUNTIF function works in Microsoft Excel 2010

Let us move on to the functions after the keyboard shortcuts. Functions are the key features in Microsoft Excel 2010. They are the reason why Microsoft Excel 2010 is called a powerful application. Functions let you perform various tasks with your data and give you results. COUNTIF function is a combination of two functions in Microsoft Excel 2010, COUNT and IF functions. Both these functions are mighty and help the users in lot of ways. Now let us see the power of this combination function.

COUNTIF function

This function combines the abilities of two functions, COUNT and IF and counts the number of times a specific value is repeated in a selected group of cells. The IF condition is to help the function determine the specific value and the COUNT condition is to count the number of times the specified value appears in the selected group of data. Now let us see how this function actually works in detail. Let us say you have a table that has details of 1000 people and you need the count of people who are older than 40. How would you get the number?

Working of the function

COUNTIF function will first count the number of people in the table and would check for the condition for the IF function and give you the count of the people who are older than 40 years.  Let us see how you can use this function in a few simple steps. First, select the data from where you need the count. Then use the COUNTIF function. The syntax for this function is ‘= COUNTIF (Range, Criteria)’. Range here should be the range where the data is present. The Criteria depends on your requirement. The criteria would be checked and then that value is searched in the range that is given in the formula and then the count is calculated in the end.

Another way to access

Here’s another way to access the COUNTIF function in Microsoft Excel 2010. Click on the Formula tab to begin the process. Then on the Formula tab, you would find the option ‘Statistical’, select that. Once you select that option, a dropdown will be displayed on the screen. Lists of statistical functions are displayed to you. You need to select the option ‘COUNTIF’ from the menu to start using this function.

That’s how the function COUNTIF is used in Microsoft Excel 2010. Isn’t the process simple and easy to understand and put to use? Thank us later.