automatically numbering rows

[cox ng \(1\)]

I wish to have rows automatically numbered in column "A" according to the
content in column "B". If column "B" has text or numbers in a cell I do not
want to number that row in column "A". If column "B" is blank in a cell I
want to number that row in column "A". I found the following formula that
works the opposite of what I want "=IF(B1<>"",COUNTA($B$1:B1)&".","")" .
What would the formula be if I wanted to numerically count the blank cells
in "B" and skip the context cells in "B"? Thanks for you consideration.
Regards

[Biff]

See reply in .Functions

Biff

"cox ng (1)" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:GvSyf.114916$oG.103684@dukeread02...
>I wish to have rows automatically numbered in column "A" according to the
>content in column "B". If column "B" has text or numbers in a cell I do
>not want to number that row in column "A". If column "B" is blank in a
>cell I want to number that row in column "A". I found the following
>formula that works the opposite of what I want
>"=IF(B1<>"",COUNTA($B$1:B1)&".","")" . What would the formula be if I
>wanted to numerically count the blank cells in "B" and skip the context
>cells in "B"? Thanks for you consideration. Regards
>
>

[Mark Lincoln]

Here's my method:

In cell A1:

=IF(isblank(B1),1,"")

In cell A2:

=IF(ISBLANK(B2),MAX($A$1:A1)+1,"")

Drag the formula in A2 down as far as you need.