How to use DCOUNT Google Sheets formula?

The syntax for the DCOUNT formula is =DCOUNT(database, field, criteria), it has 3 required parameters.

DCOUNT

The DCOUNT function is a database function in Google Sheets that counts the number of cells in a column of a database that match a set of criteria. This function is most commonly used to filter a database based on certain criteria and count the number of cells that meet that criteria.

How to use DCOUNT formula?
Examples of using DCOUNT formula
DCOUNT formula not working?
Similar formulas to DCOUNT

Usage

Use the DCOUNT formula with the syntax shown below, it has 3 required parameters:

=DCOUNT(database, field, criteria)

Parameters:

database (required):
The range of cells that make up the database to be searched. The first row of the range should contain the field names.
field (required):
The name of the field (column) to be searched.
criteria (required):
The range of cells that contain the criteria to be used for filtering the database. The first row of the range should contain the field names.

Examples

Here are a few example use cases that explain how to use the DCOUNT formula in Google Sheets.

Counting the number of sales in a certain region

Suppose you have a database that contains sales data for a company, and you want to count the number of sales made in a certain region. You can use DCOUNT to count the number of cells in the 'Sales' column that match the criteria 'Region = North'.

Counting the number of employees with a certain job title

Suppose you have a database that contains employee data for a company, and you want to count the number of employees who have a certain job title. You can use DCOUNT to count the number of cells in the 'Job Title' column that match the criteria 'Job Title = Manager'.

Counting the number of products in a certain category

Suppose you have a database that contains product data for a company, and you want to count the number of products in a certain category. You can use DCOUNT to count the number of cells in the 'Category' column that match the criteria 'Category = Electronics'.

Common Mistakes

DCOUNT not working? Here are some common mistakes people make when using the DCOUNT Google Sheets Formula:

Incorrect database range

One common mistake is providing an incorrect range for the database argument. Make sure the range includes all the rows and columns of the database, including the headers.

Incorrect field argument

Another mistake is providing an incorrect field argument. Make sure the field argument matches the header of the column in the database that you want to count.

Incorrect criteria argument

A common mistake is providing an incorrect criteria argument. Make sure the criteria argument is in the format field:value and matches the data type of the field you are filtering on.

The following functions are similar to DCOUNT or are often used with it in a formula:

DSUM
The DSUM function is a database function that calculates the sum of a set of values in a specified field, subject to the provided criteria. It is commonly used for filtering large data sets based on certain criteria and calculating the total sum of a particular field that matches the criteria.
DAVERAGE
The DAVERAGE function calculates the average value of a specified field in a database that matches the given criteria. The function is commonly used in financial and business analysis to calculate averages based on specific conditions.
DCOUNTA
The DCOUNTA function in Google Sheets is used to count the number of cells with numeric or non-blank values in a given database range that meets a specific condition. It is commonly used in database management to extract specific information from large datasets.
DGET
The DGET formula is used to retrieve a single value from a database table based on specified criteria. It returns the value of a cell in a column that meets the criteria specified in the formula.

Learn More

You can learn more about the DCOUNT Google Sheets function on Google Support.