In search of a formula short cut...

Greetings: I am in search of a formula short cut, if one exists.

I have a dataset of codes. There are multiple codes in one column (e.g., 8 types of texts used by students in an observed classroom lesson). I am looking for a short cut using any of the IF commands to: a) find more than one code per formula and b) perform a calculation (e.g., COUNT).

Here is an example. Within one COUNT function, I know how to create a string of IF commands to search for as many of the associated codes I want EXCEL to find and count. As in this example, where I am interested in summing the number of codes that begin with "I":

=COUNT(IF(Data!A1:A50="IL",IF(Data!A1:A50="IH",IF(Data!A1:A50="IM",))))

But I am looking for a shortcut that would yield the same.

Thanks.

Hi John,

If your column A has the data, then enter "IL", "IH" and "IM" in B1, C1, D1

Then enter the formula: Countif($A:$A,B1) in B2 and drag the formula till D2

Regards,

Rajeev

Thanks, Rajeev. I see what you are saying, but (if I can help it), I don't want to reorganize the data file. I would rather simplify the data query through functions/commands. Any other ideas?

John