Google Sheets function
COUNTA function in Google Sheets
COUNTA in Google Sheets counts values in the supplied values or ranges, including numbers, text, zero-length strings, and whitespace. It also counts repeated values. Use COUNTA when you want to measure filled entries and the cells may contain a mix of names, labels, numbers, or formulas.
Source: Google Docs Editors HelpLast verified Nov 5, 2026
Syntax
=COUNTA(value1, [value2, ...])Arguments
| Argument | Required | What it means |
|---|---|---|
value1 | Yes | The first value or range to inspect. |
value2, ... | No | Additional values or ranges to inspect. |
Examples
Count filled status cells
| A | B | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Task | Status |
| 2 | Draft | Done |
| 3 | Review | Waiting |
| 4 | Publish | 1 |
=COUNTA(B2:B4)Result: 3
COUNTA counts both text values and the numeric value.
Common mistakes
Treating a formula that returns an empty string as an empty cell.
COUNTA counts zero-length strings. Check the formula output if the count seems high.
Using COUNTA when only numbers should count.
Use COUNT to ignore text values.