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What is the difference between count and counta in Excel?

The COUNT function is generally used to count a range of cells containing numbers or dates excluding blanks.

COUNTA, on the other hand will count everything... numbers, dates, text or a range containing a mixture of these items, but does not count blank cells. COUNTA stands for count all.

Although you can use COUNTA to generate the number of clients or employees in a list, it counts each entry, not unique entries. To count unique entries you would have to use the SUM function together with the COUNTIF function.

An example of using both functions is given below:

Where COUNT calculates the number of cells with a numerical value, COUNTA simply counts the number of cells that contain any value (that is, cells that are not blank).

Record # Part #
1 1,569 COUNT
2 1,589 8
3 1,629
4 1,758
5 2345-01 COUNTA
6 2345-02 10
7 1,878
8 1,985
9 1,998
10 2,010

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