Excel's COUNTIFS function is very useful for counting cells that meet multiple criteria. But, it can be tricky to count unique items without duplicates. Luckily, there are ways to avoid counting duplicates while using COUNTIFS.
In this blog post, we’ll show you a few simple ways to use COUNTIFS without counting duplicates. We'll use basic examples to make it easy to understand.
What is COUNTIFS?
Before we dive into the "no duplicates" trick, let's quickly review what COUNTIFS does.
The syntax for COUNTIFS is:
COUNTIFS(criteria_range1, criteria1, [criteria_range2, criteria2], …)
- criteria_range1 is the range of cells you want to evaluate.
- criteria1 is the condition or rule you want to apply to that range.
- You can add more ranges and criteria as needed to refine your count.
For example, to count how many times the word "apple" appears in column A:
=COUNTIFS(A:A, "apple")
Now, let’s explore how to avoid counting duplicates when using COUNTIFS.
1. Basic Example of Counting Duplicates
Suppose you have the following list of items in column A:
| Item |
|---|
| Apple |
| Banana |
| Apple |
| Orange |
| Banana |
| Apple |
If you simply use COUNTIFS to count "Apple" in column A:
=COUNTIFS(A:A, "Apple")
This will return 3 because "Apple" appears three times.
But, if you want to count only unique instances of "Apple" (so you only count it once), you need to adjust your approach.
2. Method 1: Use COUNTIFS with a Helper Column
To count unique values while applying COUNTIFS, you can use a helper column to first check for duplicates.
Step 1: Create a Helper Column
In column B, create a helper column that flags whether an item is a duplicate. Here’s how you can do it: In cell B2 (assuming your data starts from row 2), enter this formula:
=IF(COUNTIF($A$2:A2, A2) = 1, 1, 0)
- This formula counts how many times the value in column A has appeared up until that point.
- If it’s the first occurrence (COUNTIF returns 1), it will display 1. If not, it will display 0.
Step 2: Use
COUNTIFS with the Helper Column
Now, use COUNTIFS to count only the unique items. For instance, to count the unique occurrences of "Apple," use:
=COUNTIFS(A:A, "Apple", B:B, 1)
This formula will count "Apple" only once, no matter how many times it appears in column A.
3. Method 2: Use SUMPRODUCT with COUNTIFS for Advanced Users
Another way to count unique values is by using SUMPRODUCT with COUNTIFS. This method is a bit more complex but doesn't need a helper column.
Let's say you want to count how many times "Apple" appears in column A. Here's how you can do it:
=SUMPRODUCT((A2:A7="Apple")/COUNTIFS(A2:A7, A2:A7, A2:A7, "<>"&""))
This formula works like this:
- (A2:A7="Apple") creates an array of TRUE/FALSE values where "Apple" is found.
- COUNTIFS(A2:A7, A2:A7) counts how many times each item appears.
- By dividing the count by the occurrence, only the first "Apple" is counted, ignoring duplicates.
4. Method 3: Use UNIQUE and COUNTIFS (Excel 365 or Excel 2021)
If you're using Excel 365 or Excel 2021, you can use the UNIQUE function. It makes counting unique values easier.
For example, to count unique items in column A that meet a certain condition, you can do this:
=COUNTIFS(UNIQUE(A2:A7), "Apple")
This formula counts only the unique instances of "Apple" in A2:A7.
Conclusion
To wrap up, Excel's COUNTIFS function is great for counting with multiple criteria. But, to exclude duplicates, you need to adjust your formula. You can use a helper column, a complex formula like SUMPRODUCT, or the UNIQUE function in newer Excel versions.
Using these methods helps you count unique values accurately, avoiding duplicates. This makes your Excel work more efficient and free from errors.
Happy Excel-ing!