instead of using auto sum use =counta(range)
This formula counts all entries regardless if numeric or non-numeric

"Scrap Monkey" wrote:

I want to use a 'tick' symbol in a spread sheet recording attendance. I would
like to then total the number of ticks in a row. How do I get Excel to give
each cell with a tick a value of 1 so that I can simply use the auto sum
facility at the end of the row?