help on averaging function

Is there a way to not have a blank or zero value not be counted in an average
function. Example:

I have a spreadsheet that has a year's worth of data. Currently, it is only
filled in through June. At the very end, I want it to average some of the
data. The formula has 12 cells that I want averaged but if one of those
cells is blank or zero, I want it ignored. 6 of the 12 cells have data.
Right now, I want it to average the 6 cells that have data. Next month, it
will average 7, so on and so forth. Right now, it is taking the 6 values and
dividing by the 12 cells, even though 6 of them contain nothing. I guess I
want the calculation to change as data is entered without having to change
the formula every month and add the new cell. Is this possible??

Yes. Assuming your data is in A1 thru A12 use an array formula:
=AVERAGE(IF(A1:A120,A1:A12,FALSE))
After entering the formula in the cell press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER
This formula creates an in memory array and replaces blanks and 0's with the
value false.
It puts any numbers in A1:A12 in the array. Then averages the numbers in the
array.
The average function ignores logical values.


"Treesy" wrote in message
...
Is there a way to not have a blank or zero value not be counted in an
average
function. Example:

I have a spreadsheet that has a year's worth of data. Currently, it is
only
filled in through June. At the very end, I want it to average some of the
data. The formula has 12 cells that I want averaged but if one of those
cells is blank or zero, I want it ignored. 6 of the 12 cells have data.
Right now, I want it to average the 6 cells that have data. Next month,
it
will average 7, so on and so forth. Right now, it is taking the 6 values
and
dividing by the 12 cells, even though 6 of them contain nothing. I guess
I
want the calculation to change as data is entered without having to change
the formula every month and add the new cell. Is this possible??

Hi Treesy,
Not so sure what you're looking for but i give you a starter..

{=average(if(range0,range))}
array entered, C+S+E, remove brackets from above...


--
regards,
driller

*****
- dive with Jonathan Seagull



"Treesy" wrote:

Is there a way to not have a blank or zero value not be counted in an average
function. Example:

I have a spreadsheet that has a year's worth of data. Currently, it is only
filled in through June. At the very end, I want it to average some of the
data. The formula has 12 cells that I want averaged but if one of those
cells is blank or zero, I want it ignored. 6 of the 12 cells have data.
Right now, I want it to average the 6 cells that have data. Next month, it
will average 7, so on and so forth. Right now, it is taking the 6 values and
dividing by the 12 cells, even though 6 of them contain nothing. I guess I
want the calculation to change as data is entered without having to change
the formula every month and add the new cell. Is this possible??

I should further explain that your array formula will have { and }
surrounding it when you look at it in the formula bar. These identify an
array formula. Do not type these in. Pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER places the {}
around the formula. So if in A1:A5 you had the values 2, 0, 4, blank, 6 the
in-memory array would look like: 2, false, 4, false, 6. The array function
would ignore the false values and average the 3 numbers 2, 4 and 6 for an
average of 4. If you averaged these in the spread sheet column, the average
function would average 2, 0, 4 , 6 for an average of 3.


"Treesy" wrote in message
...
Is there a way to not have a blank or zero value not be counted in an
average
function. Example:

I have a spreadsheet that has a year's worth of data. Currently, it is
only
filled in through June. At the very end, I want it to average some of the
data. The formula has 12 cells that I want averaged but if one of those
cells is blank or zero, I want it ignored. 6 of the 12 cells have data.
Right now, I want it to average the 6 cells that have data. Next month,
it
will average 7, so on and so forth. Right now, it is taking the 6 values
and
dividing by the 12 cells, even though 6 of them contain nothing. I guess
I
want the calculation to change as data is entered without having to change
the formula every month and add the new cell. Is this possible??

Hi Treesy,

The average function will ignore blanks but not zero values.
So if the formula in those cells is returning 0 alter it to return ""

Alternatively this formula may help.
=SUM(A1:A12)/COUNTIF(A1:A12,"0")
adjust the ranges to suit.

HTH
Martin

"Treesy" wrote in message
...
Is there a way to not have a blank or zero value not be counted in an
average
function. Example:

I have a spreadsheet that has a year's worth of data. Currently, it is
only
filled in through June. At the very end, I want it to average some of the
data. The formula has 12 cells that I want averaged but if one of those
cells is blank or zero, I want it ignored. 6 of the 12 cells have data.
Right now, I want it to average the 6 cells that have data. Next month,
it
will average 7, so on and so forth. Right now, it is taking the 6 values
and
dividing by the 12 cells, even though 6 of them contain nothing. I guess
I
want the calculation to change as data is entered without having to change
the formula every month and add the new cell. Is this possible??

now u can use Dave Thomas solution,,,

kinda weird of me why i use the "0", rather than "0" for your worth of
data..

--
regards,
driller

*****
- dive with Jonathan Seagull



"Treesy" wrote:

Is there a way to not have a blank or zero value not be counted in an average
function. Example:

I have a spreadsheet that has a year's worth of data. Currently, it is only
filled in through June. At the very end, I want it to average some of the
data. The formula has 12 cells that I want averaged but if one of those
cells is blank or zero, I want it ignored. 6 of the 12 cells have data.
Right now, I want it to average the 6 cells that have data. Next month, it
will average 7, so on and so forth. Right now, it is taking the 6 values and
dividing by the 12 cells, even though 6 of them contain nothing. I guess I
want the calculation to change as data is entered without having to change
the formula every month and add the new cell. Is this possible??

excuse me Martin,

i send a late post, not seeing your one..
--
regards,
driller

*****
- dive with Jonathan Seagull



"MartinW" wrote:

Hi Treesy,

The average function will ignore blanks but not zero values.
So if the formula in those cells is returning 0 alter it to return ""

Alternatively this formula may help.
=SUM(A1:A12)/COUNTIF(A1:A12,"0")
adjust the ranges to suit.

HTH
Martin

"Treesy" wrote in message
...
Is there a way to not have a blank or zero value not be counted in an
average
function. Example:

I have a spreadsheet that has a year's worth of data. Currently, it is
only
filled in through June. At the very end, I want it to average some of the
data. The formula has 12 cells that I want averaged but if one of those
cells is blank or zero, I want it ignored. 6 of the 12 cells have data.
Right now, I want it to average the 6 cells that have data. Next month,
it
will average 7, so on and so forth. Right now, it is taking the 6 values
and
dividing by the 12 cells, even though 6 of them contain nothing. I guess
I
want the calculation to change as data is entered without having to change
the formula every month and add the new cell. Is this possible??

Treesy,

I use that exact need as the example on my Array Formulas web page. The
formula you want is

=AVERAGE(IF(A1:A120,A1:A12,FALSE))

Since this is an array formula, you must press CTRL SHIFT ENTER rather than
just ENTER when you first enter the formula and whenever you edit it later.
If you do this properly, Excel will display the formula enclosed in curly
braces { }.

Change the range A1:A12 to the range containing your data.

See www.cpearson.com/Excel/ArrayFormulas.aspx


--
Cordially,
Chip Pearson
Microsoft MVP - Excel
Pearson Software Consulting
www.cpearson.com
(email on the web site)


"Treesy" wrote in message
...
Is there a way to not have a blank or zero value not be counted in an
average
function. Example:

I have a spreadsheet that has a year's worth of data. Currently, it is
only
filled in through June. At the very end, I want it to average some of the
data. The formula has 12 cells that I want averaged but if one of those
cells is blank or zero, I want it ignored. 6 of the 12 cells have data.
Right now, I want it to average the 6 cells that have data. Next month,
it
will average 7, so on and so forth. Right now, it is taking the 6 values
and
dividing by the 12 cells, even though 6 of them contain nothing. I guess
I
want the calculation to change as data is entered without having to change
the formula every month and add the new cell. Is this possible??

Are you assuming there are no negative numbers? Treesy doesn't state that
there aren't. Treesy just wanted to eliminate 0's and blanks.

"Chip Pearson" wrote in message
...
Treesy,

I use that exact need as the example on my Array Formulas web page. The
formula you want is

=AVERAGE(IF(A1:A120,A1:A12,FALSE))

Since this is an array formula, you must press CTRL SHIFT ENTER rather
than just ENTER when you first enter the formula and whenever you edit it
later. If you do this properly, Excel will display the formula enclosed in
curly braces { }.

Change the range A1:A12 to the range containing your data.

See www.cpearson.com/Excel/ArrayFormulas.aspx


--
Cordially,
Chip Pearson
Microsoft MVP - Excel
Pearson Software Consulting
www.cpearson.com
(email on the web site)


"Treesy" wrote in message
...
Is there a way to not have a blank or zero value not be counted in an
average
function. Example:

I have a spreadsheet that has a year's worth of data. Currently, it is
only
filled in through June. At the very end, I want it to average some of
the
data. The formula has 12 cells that I want averaged but if one of those
cells is blank or zero, I want it ignored. 6 of the 12 cells have data.
Right now, I want it to average the 6 cells that have data. Next month,
it
will average 7, so on and so forth. Right now, it is taking the 6 values
and
dividing by the 12 cells, even though 6 of them contain nothing. I guess
I
want the calculation to change as data is entered without having to
change
the formula every month and add the new cell. Is this possible??

Are you assuming there are no negative numbers? Treesy doesn't state that
there aren't. Treesy just wanted to eliminate 0's and blanks.

"MartinW" wrote in message
...
Hi Treesy,

The average function will ignore blanks but not zero values.
So if the formula in those cells is returning 0 alter it to return ""

Alternatively this formula may help.
=SUM(A1:A12)/COUNTIF(A1:A12,"0")
adjust the ranges to suit.

HTH
Martin

"Treesy" wrote in message
...
Is there a way to not have a blank or zero value not be counted in an
average
function. Example:

I have a spreadsheet that has a year's worth of data. Currently, it is
only
filled in through June. At the very end, I want it to average some of
the
data. The formula has 12 cells that I want averaged but if one of those
cells is blank or zero, I want it ignored. 6 of the 12 cells have data.
Right now, I want it to average the 6 cells that have data. Next month,
it
will average 7, so on and so forth. Right now, it is taking the 6 values
and
dividing by the 12 cells, even though 6 of them contain nothing. I guess
I
want the calculation to change as data is entered without having to
change
the formula every month and add the new cell. Is this possible??