Get "AVERAGE" function to ignore empty cells

[Ed O'Brien]

Excel 2007.

I have 3 columns of data where the daily amount over the month is posted by
a formula relating to another sheet in the same book. Below each column I
want to display the daily Average of the data in that column.

When the data was typed into the columns (cells) the "AVERAGE" function
worked okay. However, now that the data is called up via a formula, the
"AVERAGE" calculates across all 31 cells in the column, including those with
no data yet posted.

Can someone tell me how I get the "AVERAGE" function to ignore the empty
cells.

TIA for any help.

Ed

 

[Jim Thomlinson]

Your issue will be that the formulas return zero and they are affecting your
calculation. There are a couple of formulas that will work.

1.
=AVERAGE(IF(A1:A7<>0, A1:A7))
This is an array formula and as such it must be commited with
Shift+Ctrl+<Enter> as opposed to just <Enter>

2.
=SUMIF(A1:A7, "<>0")/COUNTIF(A1:A7, "<>0")

 

[T. Valko]

how I get the "AVERAGE" function to

ignore the empty cells.

Average ignores empty cells.

You haven't said how these empty cells are affecting your average?

Could it be that your feeder formulas return 0 but you have the cells set to
not display 0 values?

 

[Ed O'Brien]

The function is dividing by 31 regardless of how many cells have data. If
only 2 cells have data, say 30 in total, Average shows 0.97 while the real
average is 15.0.

 

[Ed O'Brien]

Hi, Jim.

I chose your formula number 2, being a little easier, I think, and it works
fine. Thank you very much.

I did not try your fomula number 1, although I do understand it.

It's always good to know there is help out there!

Best wishes,

Ed

 

[T. Valko]

Ok, that means the cells aren't empty. They contain 0s.

I see that Jim gave you a suggestion that will account for that but, is 0 an
otherwise valid entry?

5
0
3
2
0
0
0
0

Is the first 0 a valid entry?

 

[Ed O'Brien]

The short answer is , no. The data called up by the formula in each cell is
always a positive - number higher than 0. Yet... even if a zero were a valid
entry, while the denominator remains as the number of days past, it would
make no difference. My aim was to have the denominator represent only the
number of days past.

I hope I make sense.

Thanks for the input.

Best wishes,

Ed