COUNTA

Use the COUNTA function to get the number of items in any type of array that are not blank.

Use

COUNTA( array )
Counts the non-blank items in array.

Parameter	Required	Description
array	Yes	an array of any type

Returns

Number

Examples

Multi-Value Validation (Minimum Requirement)

This formula is used as an Output Validation Formula for an array field (such as a list of "Action Items" or "Project Notes") to ensure that the user has provided at least one meaningful entry.

• Formula: COUNTA(this) >= 1
• Logic:
  • this: Refers to the array of data currently being entered in the form field.
  • COUNTA(this): Returns the total number of items in that array that contain data.
  • Result: If a user adds three rows to an array but only fills in two of them, leaving one blank, the formula returns 2. Since 2 is greater than or equal to 1, the validation passes.

Restricting the Range of Non-Empty Entries

In more complex scenarios, you may want to ensure a user provides a specific number of responses—for instance, between one and five non-empty items,.

• Formula: AND(COUNTA(this) >= 1, COUNTA(this) <= 5)
• Logic:
  • This uses the AND function to verify two conditions simultaneously.
  • The first part, COUNTA(this) >= 1, ensures the list isn't effectively empty.
  • The second part, COUNTA(this) <= 5, ensures the user hasn't provided more than five actual entries.
  • Result: This formula returns TRUE only if the number of filled-in items in the array falls strictly between 1 and 5,.