ignore cells that are blank

[Robert]

Hello, I am using the following formula to count the number of occurrences of
my data being out of tolerance. My column of data (J46:J522) contains
numbers and blank cells. My upper and lower tolerances are contained in
cells L3 and L4. Therefore this equation is counting the number of data
results less than the lower tolerance and higher than the high tolerance.
This formula works great when L3 and L4 are bilateral (i.e. +/-.001). But a
problem arises when L3 and L4 are unilateral (i.e. +.001/+.002). This is
because the formula is treating blank cells as 0.

Is there a way to make this formula ignore the blank cells?

{=SUM(IF((J46:J522<L4)+(J46:J522>L3),1,0))}

 

[T. Valko]

Try this (normally entered):

=SUMPRODUCT(--(J46:J522<>""),--(J46:J522>L3),--(J46:J522<L4))

 

[Robert]

For some reason your equation returns a value of zero always, regardless of
what numbers I have in L3 and L4. Do you know why this might happen?

 

[Robert]

Interestingly, this one DOES work:

=SUMPRODUCT(--(J46:J522<>""),--(J46:J522<L4))+SUMPRODUCT(--(J46:J522<>""),--(J46:J522>L3))

 

[T. Valko]

Your array formula is written as an "or" conditional test.

J46:J522<L4 OR J46:J522>L3

The formula I suggested is written as an "and" conditional test:

J46:J522>L3 AND J46:J522<L4

The formula that you got to work is essentially the same as the "or" version
but it's spread across two separate functions.

This one will do the same thing:

=SUMPRODUCT(--(J46:J522<>""),--((J46:J522<L4)+(J46:J522>L3)>0))