COUNTBLANK Function
Purpose
Counts empty cells in a specified range. Also counts cells with formulas that return an empty text string ("").
Syntax
EXCEL
=COUNTBLANK(range)
Arguments Breakdown
| Argument | Required? | Description |
|---|---|---|
range |
Required | The range of cells from which you want to count empty cells. |
Practical Examples
1. Count Blank Cells Drill
From Formulas_&_Functions_Part_1.xlsx:
EXCEL
=COUNTBLANK(B3:B7)
Identifies cells missing numeric values in row 7.
2. Data Completeness Quality Audit
Calculating the percentage of missing postal codes:
EXCEL
=COUNTBLANK(Orders[Postal Code]) / ROWS(Orders)
Behavior & Traps
- Empty Strings: Cells with formulas returning
""are counted as blank. - Space Characters: Cells containing spaces (
" ") are not blank and will not be counted byCOUNTBLANK. UseTRIM()in data preparation.
Related Knowledge
- Notes: 02 Statistical and Aggregation Functions
- Workbook:
11_Demos_and_Workbooks/03_Formulas_and_Functions/Formulas_&_Functions_Part_1.xlsx(Sheet:Counting)