How to Combine Text and Live Formulas in Spreadsheets

by

I want to display this formula 

=counta(N2:N58)+counta(S2:S)

as 3 + 2 = 5

To display the calculation breakdown alongside the total, you can join your functions and text together using the ampersand (&) operator.

Here is the exact formula you need:

Excel or Google Sheets

=COUNTA(N2:N58) & " + " & COUNTA(S2:S) & " = " & (COUNTA(N2:N58) + COUNTA(S2:S))

How it works:

  • The & symbol acts as a glue, combining the live results of your formulas with static text.
  • Text strings like spaces, plus signs, and equal signs must be wrapped in quotation marks (e.g., " + ").
  • The final section (COUNTA(N2:N58) + COUNTA(S2:S)) calculates the actual sum to display at the end of the string.