Need help with count formula

[not so excel-lent]

Excel 2007 (Windows XP)

This is probably a simple fix, but I can't figure it out.

I have 20 rows on a spreadsheet. I will be entering data in column B and I want column A to count column B if there is data (anything) entered in column B.

I want the count in each cell to increase by one each time a new cell is counted. For instance, if there is data in B3, B5, B7, B12 then A3 should show 1, A5 should show 2, A7 should show 3, and A12 should show 4.

Here is the formula I'm using:
=IF(B1="","",COUNT(B1))
=IF(B2="","",COUNT(B1:B2))
=IF(B3="","",COUNT(B1:B3))
and so on...

The formula works as long as I format the cells in column B as General and only use numbers as my data in column B. However, if I format them as Text, it doesn't work. I'm using alphanumeric data in column B so I need to format as Text, right?

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Akashwani]

Hi,

Is this what you mean?...

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 154pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=204><COLGROUP><COL style="WIDTH: 19pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 914" width=25><COL style="WIDTH: 48pt" width=64><COL style="WIDTH: 68pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 3291" width=90><COL style="WIDTH: 19pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 914" width=25><TBODY><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #c0c0c0; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 1pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; WIDTH: 19pt; HEIGHT: 15pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 1pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: #c0c0c0" class=xl148 height=20 width=25> </TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #c0c0c0; BORDER-LEFT: #c0c0c0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; WIDTH: 48pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 1pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: #c0c0c0" class=xl142 width=64> A</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #c0c0c0; BORDER-LEFT: #c0c0c0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; WIDTH: 68pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 1pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: #c0c0c0" class=xl142 width=90> B</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #c0c0c0; BORDER-LEFT: #c0c0c0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; WIDTH: 19pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 1pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 1pt solid" class=xl143 width=25> </TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #c0c0c0; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 1pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 15pt; BORDER-TOP: #c0c0c0; BORDER-RIGHT: #c0c0c0" class=xl149 height=20> 1</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #c0c0c0; BORDER-LEFT: #c0c0c0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: #c0c0c0; BORDER-RIGHT: #c0c0c0">Count</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #c0c0c0; BORDER-LEFT: #c0c0c0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: #c0c0c0; BORDER-RIGHT: #c0c0c0">Data</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #c0c0c0; BORDER-LEFT: #c0c0c0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: #c0c0c0; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 1pt solid" class=xl144> </TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #c0c0c0; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 1pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 15pt; BORDER-TOP: #c0c0c0; BORDER-RIGHT: #c0c0c0" class=xl149 height=20> 2</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl145 align=right>1</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl145 align=right>1</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #c0c0c0; BORDER-LEFT: #c0c0c0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: #c0c0c0; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 1pt solid" class=xl144> </TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #c0c0c0; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 1pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 15pt; BORDER-TOP: #c0c0c0; BORDER-RIGHT: #c0c0c0" class=xl149 height=20> 3</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl145 align=right>2</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl145>cat</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #c0c0c0; BORDER-LEFT: #c0c0c0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: #c0c0c0; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 1pt solid" class=xl144> </TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #c0c0c0; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 1pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 15pt; BORDER-TOP: #c0c0c0; BORDER-RIGHT: #c0c0c0" class=xl149 height=20> 4</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl145> </TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl145> </TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #c0c0c0; BORDER-LEFT: #c0c0c0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: #c0c0c0; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 1pt solid" class=xl144> </TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #c0c0c0; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 1pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 15pt; BORDER-TOP: #c0c0c0; BORDER-RIGHT: #c0c0c0" class=xl149 height=20> 5</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl145 align=right>3</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl145 align=right>200</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #c0c0c0; BORDER-LEFT: #c0c0c0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: #c0c0c0; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 1pt solid" class=xl144> </TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #c0c0c0; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 1pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 15pt; BORDER-TOP: #c0c0c0; BORDER-RIGHT: #c0c0c0" class=xl149 height=20> 6</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl145> </TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl145> </TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #c0c0c0; BORDER-LEFT: #c0c0c0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: #c0c0c0; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 1pt solid" class=xl144> </TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #c0c0c0; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 1pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 15pt; BORDER-TOP: #c0c0c0; BORDER-RIGHT: #c0c0c0" class=xl149 height=20> 7</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; 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BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl145> </TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #c0c0c0; BORDER-LEFT: #c0c0c0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: #c0c0c0; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 1pt solid" class=xl144> </TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #c0c0c0; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 1pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 15pt; BORDER-TOP: #c0c0c0; BORDER-RIGHT: #c0c0c0" class=xl149 height=20> 9</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl145 align=right>5</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl145>Akashwani</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #c0c0c0; BORDER-LEFT: #c0c0c0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: #c0c0c0; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 1pt solid" class=xl144> </TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #c0c0c0; 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In A2.... =IF(B2="","",COUNTA(B2))
In A3.... =IF(B3="","",COUNTA(B$2:B3))

There is probably a better way.

Ak

 

[Sandeep Warrier]

Hi

Another way.

Enter 1 in the 1st cell.

Type in the 2nd cell and then copy down:

Excel Workbook
	A	B
1	1	ABC
2
3	2	DEF
4	3	GHI
5
6
7
8	4	JKL
9
10
11
12	5	MNO
Sheet1

Excel 2007

Cell Formulas
Range	Formula
A2	=IF(B2="","",LOOKUP(9.99E+307,$A$1:A1)+1)

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[bosco_yip]

Without helper cell, A2 formula copy down :

=IF(B2<>"",COUNTA(B$2:B2),"")

Or...

=IF(B2<>"",MAX(A$1:A1)+1,"")

Regards
Bosco

 

[not so excel-lent]

Thank you all so much for your help!!