Counting cells that contain specific text (date)

Anyone know a formula for counting the number of cells that contain a specific text?

Here, I am trying to count the number of cells that contain today's date. I have a spreadsheet with a bunch of accounts that have a note next to each account. The note cell is dated as of a certain date...for example, the note cell may say something like "called and left a VM - 10/3/16"

How do I write a formula that counts the number of cells that contain today's date, or any date for that matter?

I keep trying to use the COUNTIF formula and I can't figure it out...please advise...thx!

Dominick

If you have true dates in A1:A40 use to get the number of cells that is equal to today's date
=COUNTIF(A1:A40,TODAY())

Originally Posted by Tony Valko

Something like this will work if the dates are all in the same format:

=COUNTIF(A:A,"*10/3/16*")

Awesome! That worked.

If I may ask, any idea why the two asterisks worked, but the formula doesn't work without them? Also, is there a way to tweak the formula to use the TODAY formula so the spreadsheet updates each day?

Thanks again!

Dominick