What does the COUNTIF function do in Excel?

The COUNTIF function in Excel is designed to count the number of cells within a specified range that meet a defined criterion. This functionality is particularly useful when you need to analyze data based on one condition, such as counting how many times a specific value appears in a dataset or how many entries meet a particular criteria.

For instance, if you have a list of sales figures and you want to know how many sales exceeded a certain threshold, you can use COUNTIF to set that criterion and get an accurate count. This makes it an essential tool for data analysis and reporting, allowing users to derive meaningful insights from their data efficiently.

In contrast, the other options focus on different functions that serve distinct purposes, such as calculating sums, averages, or counting non-empty cells, which do not align with the specific functionality of counting based on a criterion.