What COUNTA does
COUNTA counts every nonblank cell, including cells that contain text, numbers, errors, or formulas that return an empty-looking value. Use it when you need a population count rather than a numeric count.
Practical examples
Count all filled cells in a column
=COUNTA(A2:A20)
This gives the number of rows that contain any value in the selected range.
Count nonblank cells across separate ranges
=COUNTA(B2:B10,D2:D10)
Use this when the populated cells you care about are split across different parts of a worksheet.
Common mistakes and notes
COUNTA counts text as well as numbers
If you only want numeric entries, use COUNT instead. COUNTA includes text labels, dates, and other nonblank content.
Cells with formulas may still count
If a formula returns an empty string like "", COUNTA can still treat that cell as nonblank depending on how the sheet is structured. Test this carefully in dashboards.
COUNTA is not the opposite of COUNTBLANK
Mixed formulas, hidden values, and helper cells can make COUNTA + COUNTBLANK behave differently than expected on a messy worksheet.