Try this

=SUMPRODUCT(--(LEFT(A2:A20,2)="HI"),--(LEFT(A2:A20,2)<="MF"))

HTH

Bob

"Carter" wrote in message
...
Greetings,

I have a list of company names that I need to tally a number for based on
the first two letters of the name over a range. For instance how many
companies begin with the letters "HI-MF". I have used the formula
=COUNTIF(A:A,"HI*") to get the first part but I do not know how to expand
this formula over a range of letters.

Any assistance would be very much appreciated... Best Regards,