How to Use SUMIF & COUNTIF in Google Sheets

Add up or count only the rows that match a condition — sales in one region, tasks marked done — and stack several conditions with SUMIFS and COUNTIFS. Here's the syntax and the traps.

By the Quiriz Team · Published July 25, 2026 · 4 min read

The quick version: =COUNTIF(B:B, "West") counts the West rows; =SUMIF(B:B, "West", C:C) totals column C for them. For more than one condition, use SUMIFS / COUNTIFS. Details below.

One condition — SUMIF / COUNTIF

=COUNTIF(B:B, "West")
=SUMIF(B:B, "West", C:C)

COUNTIF takes (range, criterion). SUMIF takes (range, criterion, sum_range) — the column you're adding comes last. Operators go in quotes: =SUMIF(C:C, ">1000").

Several conditions — SUMIFS / COUNTIFS

Watch the argument order: SUMIFS puts the sum column first, then range/criterion pairs.

=SUMIFS(C:C, B:B, "West", D:D, ">1000")
=COUNTIFS(B:B, "West", D:D, ">1000")

💡 Pro tip: many people just use SUMIFS / COUNTIFS everywhere, even for a single condition. The argument order stays consistent and adding another criterion later is a one-line change, not a rewrite.

Why you get 0 or the wrong number

Numbers stored as text won't match ">1000".
Trailing spaces — "West " ≠ "West".
Range sizes must line up in SUMIFS/COUNTIFS.

💬 Skip the formula: if the conditions keep stacking, ask instead of building the formula: =QUIRIZ("count deals in the West region over $1,000", "short") returns the number, no quote-marks or argument order to get right.

Skip the nested formula

Ask "total sales in the West over $1,000" in plain English and get the number in the cell with =QUIRIZ(). Free to start.

Try Quiriz free →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between SUMIF and SUMIFS?

SUMIF adds a column for rows meeting one condition. SUMIFS handles multiple conditions at once (all must be true). The argument order differs: SUMIF is (range, criterion, sum_range) while SUMIFS is (sum_range, range1, criterion1, range2, criterion2, …).

How do I count with multiple criteria in Google Sheets?

Use COUNTIFS with one range-and-criterion pair per condition: =COUNTIFS(B:B, "West", D:D, ">1000") counts rows where column B is West and column D is over 1000.

Why is my SUMIF returning 0?

Common causes: numbers stored as text (so ">1000" never matches), trailing spaces in the criterion, or the range and sum_range being different sizes. Clean the data and make sure the ranges line up.

Can SUMIF use partial matches?

Yes, with wildcards. =SUMIF(A:A, "*west*", C:C) sums where column A contains "west". Use * for any characters and ? for a single character.