Microsoft KB Archive/184105

= COUNTA Function Returns 1 with Invalid Reference Argument =

Article ID: 184105

Article Last Modified on 8/17/2005

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Excel 97 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Excel 95 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Excel 5.0 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q184105





SYMPTOMS
If you type an invalid cell reference as an argument for the COUNTA worksheet function, the result is 1. For example the following function returns 1 in A1.

A1: =COUNTA(B0:b10)

NOTE: The second character of the first cell reference is the number zero.



CAUSE
This problem occurs because the COUNTA function interprets the invalid reference as the #NAME? error value and the function counts this one error value.



RESOLUTION
To resolve this problem and count the number of nonblank cells in a range, type a valid reference for the range in the COUNTA worksheet function.



STATUS
This behavior is by design of Microsoft Excel.



MORE INFORMATION
The COUNTA worksheet function counts the number of cells that are not empty and counts the values in the list of arguments. Nonempty cells can contain text, numbers, or error values. The arguments of the COUNTA worksheet function can also be an array or a list. For example, the following function returns 3 because it counts a text string, a number, and an error value:

A1: =COUNTA("hello",4,#N/A)

In the following example, the argument of the COUNTA worksheet function is evaluated as #NAME? because cell B0 is not defined, and the result of the COUNTA worksheet function that appears in A1 is 1.

A1: =COUNTA(B0:B10)

You can see this behavior if you select B0:B10 in the formula bar and press F9 to evaluate the reference. The formula changes to the following:

A1: =COUNTA(#NAME?)

Excel counts one nonblank item (an error value), and the answer is exactly 1.

NOTE: Use the COUNT worksheet function to count numbers only.

