The DCOUNTA function with examples in Excel

The DCOUNTA function in Excel is used to count the nonblank cells in a field (column) of records in a list or database that match specific conditions. Here’s how it works:

1. Syntax:

   • DCOUNTA(database, field, criteria)
   • Database: The range of cells that make up the list or database.
   • Field (optional): Indicates which column to use in the function. You can specify the column label or its position (e.g., 1 for the first column).
   • Criteria: The range of cells containing the conditions you specify.

2. Examples:

   • To count all non-empty cells in a single column:

     =DCOUNTA(A1:A10)
     

   • To count non-empty cells in a database range with headers:

     =DCOUNTA(DatabaseRange, "ColumnHeader", CriteriaRange)
     

     For instance, if you have data like this:

     Tree   Height   Age   Yield   Profit
     Apple    18      20    14     105.0
     Pear     12      12    10     96.0
     Cherry   13      14    9      105.0
     Apple    14      15    10     75.0
     Pear     9       8     8      76.8
     Apple    8       9     6      45.0
     

     You can use:

     =DCOUNTA(A4:E10, "Profit", A1:F2)
     

     This counts the rows containing “Apple” in column A with a height >10 and <16, resulting in only row 8 satisfying these conditions.