COUNTIFS using dates specified by external cells

[chesspupil]

=COUNTIFS(B14:B17,">=1/1/2010",B14:B17,"<=12/31/2010") Example given from a helper site

What I have tried for my own data
=COUNTIFS(B6:B100,">=A1",B6:B100,"<=A2") <<<< Note my data set is correct range, A1 is not activated or seen as a date, I want the formula to change based on dates I enter.

=COUNTIFS(B6:B100,">=&A1, dates",B6:B100,"<=&A2")

This is the formula I am trying to use.

How do I specify the dates based on external cell values?

Thank you

 

[Weazel]

try it like...

=COUNTIFS(B6:B100,">="&A1, dates",B6:B100,"<="&A2)

 

[chesspupil]

Tried this formula as well:

=COUNTIFS(B8:B56,B8:B56,">=" & A1,B8:B56,B8:B56,"<=" & A2)

 

[chesspupil]

try it like...

=COUNTIFS(B6:B100,">="&A1, dates",B6:B100,"<="&A2)

=COUNTIFS(B8:B56,">=" & A1,B8:B56,"<=" & A2)
I figured it out moments before I saw this, thank you. Note it did not require the word dates