How to Use Numcol function

I am trying to understand the Numcol (count columns) function. I thought I could provide a range of columns and it would count how many columns there were included but it does not seem to work that way. Also, is it possible to count the number of columns in a category so if you add more columns to the category the count changes accordingly automatically?

I'm new to all of this so any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Hello Freen,
NUMCOL counts the number of non empty cells in a list of columns but it usually is not required.

Let me know the kind of calculation you're trying to do. In a category, any calculation except the formula will automatically take into account the new columns you add in it.

Thanks Bert,

Essentially I am trying to add up bonus participation points for a warm-up routine kids do at the beginning of most classes. As it is not every class, I would be adding columns as I go instead of having a set number of columns in advance. Now this is pretty easy except I would prefer to not have to give a code for every student but be able to leave some spaces blank but still have that space count towards the number of total warmups. So I need to count the number of columns (preferably in a category folder) so I can use that number to divide to get a percentage (ratio of times they got the bonus out of the number of opportunities). But I can't figure out how to leave a cell blank but still have it counted towards a total.

Hope that makes sense.

Thanks!

Do you plan on adding a number on those cells or working with icons would do?
If you only need a limited set of values icons will be faster, more visual, and you could add a default icon on a column so that empty cells are taken into account.

Do let me know and I'll explain in more detail with a sample template that you can import in your gradebook

Funny enough that is what I set up on my own.

I was just hoping that there was a way that I could avoid having to fill every cell - instead having an empty cell count as a predetermined value.

So empty = default value in essence.

The (add column) calculation > addition will let you set a value for empty cells but you will have to choose which columns to take into account. We will try to add this very same calculation in categories in the future.
Give it a try and let me know how that works for you

Ya unfortunately I will not know in advance how many columns I will need to count so for now I will just have to make a mark in every column for every student instead of leaving some blank.