You're seriously suggesting that performing a 655350 cell x 655350 cell
matrix multiplication, followed by a SUM instead of a COUNTIF?????

Remember, the original question was =COUNTIF(A:J,"Pierre"), and your
formula doesn't cover the entire column.

Even one of those formulae is enough to *seriously* slow down a
worksheet recalc

A hammer's a useful tool, and it can be used to drive screws. But that's
not its best use.



In article ,
Pierre Leclerc wrote:

Here it is SUMPRODUCT replacing COUNTIF

=SUMPRODUCT((A1:E500="Pierre")*(A1:E500="Pierre"))