How to use the COLUMNS function
What is the COLUMNS function?
The COLUMNS function allows you to calculate the number of columns in a cell range or array.
What is the difference between the COLUMN function and the COLUMNS function?
The difference between the column function and the columns function in Excel is that the column function returns the COLUMN number of a single cell reference, while the COLUMNS function returns the number of columns in an array or a range of cells.
What other functions performs counting like the COLUMNS function?
COLUMNS counts columns in a cell range.
COUNT counts numbers in a cell range.
COUNTA counts not empty cells in a cell range.
COUNTBLANK counts empty cells in a cell range.
COUNTIF counts cells based on a specific condition.
COUNTIFS counts cells based on specific criteria.
Table of Contents
1. COLUMNS Function Syntax
COLUMNS(array)
2. COLUMNS Function Arguments
| array | Required. A cell range for which you want to determine the number of columns. |
3. COLUMNS Function example
The example above shows a formula that counts the number of columns in cell range C2:J2.
Formula in cell B6:
The number of columns in cell range C2:J2 are 8.
4. Count columns in an array
The COLUMNS function also calculates the number of rows in an array.
The array has four columns. An array uses delimiting values to separate columns and rows. They may differ between users based on their regional settings.
The formula above uses comma as a column delimiting character and semicolon as a row delimiting character.
83,89,63,81;
54,68,45,2
It is easier to see that the array actually contains four columns if I put values after a semicolon on a new row.
5. Count columns in a value delimited string
Cell B3 contains a text string with numbers separated by commas and semicolons. The TEXTSPLIT function splits the string into an array.
Formula in cell B6:
The array has columns and rows, the columns function counts the number of columns in the array.
5.1 Explaining formula
Step 1 - Split string into an array
The TEXTSPLIT function splits a string into an array based on delimiting values.
Function syntax: TEXTSPLIT(Input_Text, col_delimiter, [row_delimiter], [Ignore_Empty])
TEXTSPLIT(B3,",",";")
Step 2 - Count columns in the array
COLUMNS(TEXTSPLIT(B3,",",";"))
6. Count columns in multiple cell ranges
This example demonstrates how to count columns in an horizontal array based on different cell ranges.
Formula in cell B12:
The HSTACK function is a new Excel 365 function that stacks cell ranges horizontally.
6.1 Explaining formula
Step 1 - Join cell ranges horizontally
The HSTACK function combines cell ranges or arrays. Joins data to the first blank cell to the right of a cell range or array (horizontal stacking)
Function syntax: HSTACK(array1,[array2],...)
HSTACK(C2:J2,C5:F5,C8:G8)
Step 2 - Count columns
The COLUMNS function calculates the number of columns in a cell range.
Function syntax: COLUMNS(array)
COLUMNS(HSTACK(C2:J2,C5:F5,C8:G8))
7. Count columns in multiple Excel Tables
Formula in cell B8:
7.1 Explaining formula
Step 1 - Join Excel Tables horizontally
The HSTACK function combines cell ranges or arrays. Joins data to the first blank cell to the right of a cell range or array (horizontal stacking)
Function syntax: HSTACK(array1,[array2],...)
HSTACK(Table1, Table2)
Step 2 - Count columns
The COLUMNS function calculates the number of columns in a cell range.
Function syntax: COLUMNS(array)
COLUMNS(HSTACK(Table1, Table2))
Useful links
COLUMNS function - Microsoft
COLUMNS function
'COLUMNS' function examples
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Functions in 'Lookup and reference' category
The COLUMNS function function is one of many functions in the 'Lookup and reference' category.
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