Why cant I use =countif(Jan:Mar!$b3)

[Guest]

=sum(Jan:Mar!$b3) works fine. Why can't I use this same 3d reference with
the countif option. The values in the cells are all numbers - but I receive a
#value error.

 

[Chip Pearson]

Not all functions support 3D ranges. COUNTIF doesn't.


I

 

[Harlan Grove]

Puzzler wrote...

=sum(Jan:Mar!$b3) works fine. Why can't I use this same 3d reference with
the countif option. The values in the cells are all numbers - but I receive a
#value error.

Because Microsoft wasn't sufficiently passionate about this aspect of
your potential.

You'll need to use a list of worksheet names, ideally referring to it
using a defined name like WSLst. For your sample formula above, you
could define WSLst as ={"Jan";"Feb";"Mar"} and use a formula like

=SUMPRODUCT(COUNTIF(INDIRECT("'"&WSLst&"'!B3"),<whatever>))