Count number of time a word is in a grid

Hi all

I have an Excel query, if anyone could help me with it, I would be much obliged.

I have a set of initials in a grid:


AA AB AC
AA AB AC
AA AB AC
AA AB AC
AA AB AC
AA AB AC
AV AN AC

I want to use an Excel formula to give a report of the number
of instances of each entry, for example:

AA 5

AB 5

AC 6

AN 1

AV 1

If I put the data into a single column, I can do this with a pivot table.
But there is a lot of data either side of the entries, also it takes
ages to format the each column into a single column that is suitable for
pivot table work.

I'd like to be able to select the data and use a formula to do the counting.

Does anyone know a formula that will do this?

Thanks

Barney

Hi

Thanks for that. I actually don't have a predetermined list of all initials. The list just comes from another system, and is
different each time.

Thanks for the suggestion though