Countif wildcard not working. I have a range of room numbers (such as 301, 302,303, etc.
Countif wildcard not working I have a range of room numbers (such as 301, 302,303, etc. Mar 26, 2019 · To work around this limitation, you need to combine the IF function with other functions that handle wildcards, such as COUNTIF or SEARCH. Properly configured, COUNTIF with wildcards can efficiently count cells matching patterns, resolving common frustrations in data analysis. I am trying to count how many instances of a room that ends in… Aug 10, 2023 · Knowing how to use Wildcard characters is a great tool to possess while working in Google Sheets. These functions can check if a cell’s value matches a wildcard pattern and return a numerical result. Apr 30, 2024 · Excel SUMIF not working for you? Read this whole article carefully and find your issues, and their solutions. Jul 9, 2013 · The test condition in Excel's COUNTIF is not a regular expression, or similar. OR logic The COUNTIFS function is designed to apply multiple conditions with "AND logic," so there is no obvious way to count cells with "OR logic". I had to change the format for the wildcard as I was told it was different to Excel. The conditional function like COUNTIF,AND,OR, SEARCH are used here. The syntax of the Dec 28, 2024 · The COUNTIF function can be very handy when searching a range of cells for values. Nov 11, 2025 · Here, you will find solutions when the Excel COUNTIF function is not working for the string "True" by adding double quotations, wildcards etc. g. It seems like the same question as Google Spreadsheet, Count IF contains a string but it still doesn't work. Is it possible to use "*A1*" or something like that in any capacity? How to use the COUNTIFS function in Excel to apply criteria to cells, across multiple ranges, and count the number of times all criteria are met. Column 1 has names in it, Column 2 has dates (in this very format, no spaces between the characters). May 30, 2025 · Excel wildcard characters are special symbols (*, ?, and ~) used in functions like COUNTIF(), SEARCH(), and VLOOKUP() to represent unknown characters. Read More: [Fixed] COUNTIF Function with Wildcard Not Working in Excel Mar 14, 2023 · The tutorial shows how to make Excel IF statement with wildcard text and get it to work for partial matches. Being able to use Wildcards with different functions in Google Sheets is an extremely useful skill to have. However, one workaround is to provide the criteria as an array constant like {"red","blue}, and then nest the COUNTIFS formula inside the SUM function like this: = SUM (COUNTIFS (range,{"red","blue Dec 28, 2024 · The COUNTIF function can be very handy when searching a range of cells for values. I've tried using this formula with wildcard references but it isn't working: May 11, 2023 · Excel issues with Wildcard when seeking countif partial match with concat data Hi all, Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. Feb 10, 2025 · To count cells that do not contain certain text, you can use the COUNTIF function with a wildcard. Jun 2, 2023 · This tutorial explains how to use a wildcard in the COUNTIF function in Excel, including several examples. It takes the form of " [conditional operator] [value]". Sometimes those sneaky invisible spaces in your data can mess with the match. Download our workbook, modify data and practice yourself. Here, you will find 7 actions to take when COUNTIFS is not working. By using * (asterisk) to match any number of characters or ? (question mark) for a single character, you can effectively search for partial matches in your data. Can Excel COUNTIFS function use a wildcard to match numeric data? E. 2. They are particularly useful when combined with functions like COUNTIF, which is designed to count cells that meet a certain criterion. The two columns are status and date Dates are formatted as the following "2015-07-21 00:00:00" Status has categories such as Closed, Pending or Assigned The COUNTIF function in Excel allows you to only count the number of cells that meet certain criteria. Oct 13, 2025 · Learn why your COUNTIFS formula isn’t working in Excel and how to fix common issues like range mismatches, text criteria, and wildcards. It allows us to use the asterisk as a literal asterisk or a question mark as a literal question mark. Sometimes in Microsoft Excel the countifs does not work as expected - follow along this tutorial with 8 possible causes and solutions. Jun 21, 2024 · COUNTIFS counts values which match one or more criteria from a range. For the best help attach a sample workbook to your post Attention - ExcelForum Rules have been updated as of August 2023. Mar 25, 2024 · Wildcard characters not working in COUNTIFS function Hi y'all, this was a real brain scratcher for me, I gave up and went to the internet looking for answers. Wildcards in COUNTIFS can be a game-changer when you’re working with text-based criteria. The supported functions can be found here: Excel Wildcard | Exceljet In your case, there are no natural line breaks in the cell, it's just one long string of text that uses "LI x:" to indicate when a new line should begin? One work around would be to use the Find and Replace. COUNTIF uses one range and criteria, while COUNTIFS can handle multiple range/criteria pairs. Wildcards expand the capabilities of COUNTIF, enabling it to count cells not just based on exact matches, but also on partial matches, patterns Nov 19, 2024 · If the cells you're trying to match contain numeric data, but your COUNTIF is treating them like text (or vice versa), the wildcard might not work as expected. Mar 4, 2022 · This tutorial explains how to use COUNTIF with wildcard characters in Google Sheets, including examples. Feb 27, 2020 · I'm doing a COUNTIFS where I append a wildcard to the string to match. In this exercise we examined the various reasons why this function does not always work as expected and how to solve them. =XLOOKUP (1,1/COUNTIF (D2,"asterisk"&A1&"asterisk"),B1) Please explain why it doesn't w Bot VerificationVerifying that you are not a robot Mar 22, 2023 · Learn the basics of COUNTIF function in Excel. COUNTIF using Wildcards What say you wanted to count the number of cells containing the word ‘apple’ in this table. You will get the total number of sold Computers which is the return of the COUNTIF function. "*bread*" counts all cells with the word bread in it) but I want that wildcard to be variable. Example: 7/1/2014 0:00. We would need to replace it with a HAS function like so May 16, 2013 · I need to count the number of occurances of a certain text string in the array, and to do so in a way that avoids me having to manually type in the text string each time. When counting text values, make sure the data doesn't contain leading spaces, trailing spaces, inconsistent use of straight and curly quotation marks, or nonprinting characters. Sep 1, 2021 · =COUNTIF ( {SMARTRECRUITER, Merkle Range 3}, CONTAINS (Recruiter@row, @cell)) If you are referencing a contact type column though, this still will not work because of the CONTAINS function (it doesn't like contacts). ) in a Excel 2007 document. Is it possible to use "*A1*" or something like that in any capacity? Jul 1, 2024 · 22 Examples of COUNTIF Excel The COUNTIF function is an Excel function which counts cells in a particular range that meet a single criterion/condition. I get different behaviours depending on the implementation. I have data as a call matrix where I can see the volume of calls Agents are transferring to specific lines (Agents XYZ (rows), or LinesABC (cols)). With COUNTIF, you can do Jun 8, 2025 · Note: wildcards only work with text, not numbers. Using wildcards in the criteria makes the formula more dynamic. with the following contrived table: I want to have a dropdown menu using Data Validation that allows the user to select 1, 2 Jan 16, 2017 · CountIf Wildcard Help! Hi All I have recently started using CountIf and was wondering how I could use the wildcard characters to find the number of people whose surname has a 3rd letter which begins with a "n". chatGPT, BARD, GPT4 etc) to create forum answers is not permitted. Here, I will show you how to use wildcards in Excel. Wildcards (* or ?) are generally more reliable with text. Wildcards can help you maximize your search results. Basic COUNTIF Example This example demonstrates counting cells that contain a specific value. You could simply use a wildcard (an asterisk, *, is a wildcard in Excel) in your COUNTIF formula like this: =COUNTIF(A5:A9,"*apples*") Your result will be 4. In this article, we will discuss how to use Wildcard with IF condition in Google Sheets. Jul 20, 2022 · When using =countifs on Excel I have a list and I am trying to see how many instances in that list contain a specific number. Jun 21, 2019 · Put a tilde character in front of the asterisk (that is not to be considered a wildcard). Among its many functionalities, the COUNTIF function is particularly popular for counting cells that meet specific criteria. For example, the number of cells that the HR department appears in. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Dec 2, 2024 · Conclusion COUNTIFS is a powerful function for generating the number of cells in data ranges that satisfy specific conditions. Sep 9, 2015 · I was using COUNTIF to find certain data and it was working fine in all cells I wanted it to. Formula examples to count blank and non-blank cells, with values greater than, less than or equal to the number you specify, duplicates or unique, or based on another cell values, COUNTIF formulas with multiple conditions. So, to count the number of cells with an asterisk either by itself or embedded within other text, use this (or course, change the range as needed) Mar 5, 2024 · Master the COUNTIF function in Excel for fast data analysis. Mar 14, 2023 · Everything you need to know about wildcards: what wildcard characters Excel recognizes, and how to best use them with built-in features and in formulas with text and numbers. Jun 14, 2016 · From the Microsoft page on COUNTIF: Make sure your data doesn't contain erroneous characters. This tip looks at why this occurs and suggests ways to deal with the wrong results. Dec 11, 2013 · Wildcard not working in my COUNTIFS I'm trying to count the number of cells in a column matching a couple different sets of criterion. First, the field value: [@[My Field]] = "Lastname, Firstname" U Nov 3, 2006 · My hope is that I can use that countifs statement, but somehow pull the text from a cell reference like A1 and wrap it in wildcards so I can drag the formula down my large set of data without having to reference each company like *polycom* to get this working. The syntax of the Jun 8, 2025 · Note: wildcards only work with text, not numbers. Here's my situation: I have two columns. Using precise syntax can resolve common issues and make COUNTIF with wildcards work smoothly. Nov 18, 2025 · Troubleshooting the COUNTIF Function with Wildcards in Excel: A Comprehensive Guide Excel is a powerful tool for data analysis, management, and reporting. In Excel Spreadsheet Formulas Finding Concealed Data In Cells sumifs with wildcard not working sumifs with multiple criteria in same column advanced sumifs function in excel sumifs formula Excel . Nov 20, 2025 · Struggling with COUNTIF not recognizing wildcards in Excel? Ensure the wildcard characters (*, ?) are correctly used within quotes, and that your criteria match the intended pattern. But what if you want to use them as literal characters and not as wildcard characters? This is where the tilde comes in. Jun 17, 2024 · Press Enter. Aug 31, 2011 · And no, it's not an expletive. Oct 16, 2023 · The use of AI tools (e. Let’s start with an example. Nov 11, 2025 · The COUNTIF function is used extensively to count values based on criteria. A Primer Wildcards are powerful tools in Excel that allow users to perform flexible searches and calculations. And the semicolon mentioned in the responses Aug 6, 2024 · 7 easy helpful ways to use countif wildcard in Excel. Alphabetical [value]'s (for English, at least) are tested by default in case-insensitive alphabetical order. Jan 15, 2015 · Using COUNTIF(range,"<>") can I count non-empty cells and with COUNTIF(range,"~?") or COUNTIF(range,"~*") can I calculate the number of cells matching a wildcard character, but can I do it with one COUNTIF () ? COUNTIF(range,"<>~?") does not work. Jul 15, 2024 · While working in Excel sheets, sometimes you need to use wildcards for many purposes. May 6, 2023 · In the following example the implicit wild cards do work when COUNTIF is involved. Aug 3, 2023 · 5 Possible Reasons and Solutions If Wildcard Is Not Working in Google Sheets We can use wildcards in different criteria-based functions like SUMIF, COUNIF, AVERAGEIF, and so on. May 18, 2023 · The IF function doesn't support wildcards directly, but you can combine IF with COUNTIF or COUNTIFS to get basic wildcard functionality. Includes practical examples and tips, suitable for all Excel users. I am trying to use wild card characters in countif. If a user is believed to have used such tools to provide a forum answer, sanctions may be imposed. Jul 27, 2015 · Hi there Using Excel 2010 on Windows XP I am trying to find criteria between two dates hence I am using COUNTIFS. However, one workaround is to provide the criteria as an array constant like {"red","blue}, and then nest the COUNTIFS formula inside the SUM function like this: = SUM (COUNTIFS (range,{"red","blue Jul 1, 2024 · 22 Examples of COUNTIF Excel The COUNTIF function is an Excel function which counts cells in a particular range that meet a single criterion/condition. Jul 8, 2010 · Thanks in advance for your assistance. Unfortunately, sometimes it may seem that the Excel COUNTIF formula with wildcard is not working as expected. Jul 6, 2024 · We have discussed 5 methods to use the wildcard in IF statement in Excel. Column B has the first match up, purely based on text. In some instances, though, it can provide erroneous results. However, users often encounter issues when using wildcards—like * and ? —within COUNTIF, leading to incorrect Nov 21, 2025 · Encountering issues with COUNTIF and wildcards in Excel? Ensure your syntax is correct—use asterisks (*) for partial matches and double quotes around criteria. In this article, we will highlight some of the possible reasons for this and the solutions to fix those issues. As you've discovered, SUBSTITUTE does not support wildcards. The return is 3. In the example shown, the formula in E5 is: =COUNTIF (data,"*a*") In this formula, data is the named range B5:B15. What I'm looking for is a formula to count partial matches within columns A & C against an exact match in column B. For example I have 990432 (in cell A5 of on Workbook) as my specific nu Aug 30, 2024 · The tilde wildcard character Until now, we have seen how helpful the above two wildcard characters are. I want to use COUNTIFS with a wildcard (e. By using the COUNTIF function you can count cells that contain Dates Numbers Text The COUNTIF function also supports logical operators (>,<,<>,=) as criteria and you also can use the wildcards (*,?) for partial matching. In these cases, COUNTIF might return an unexpected value. Column F is a date/time in the format #/##/#### ##:##". These rules apply to everyone for the benefit of all, please take a moment now to Jul 18, 2024 · Frustrated with Countifs not working in Excel? Discover troubleshooting tips and solutions to fix Countifs errors. Both functions support various comparison operators and wildcards. Apr 4, 2025 · This table compares the two functions. It should be simple, but it's not working.