Hi!

Assume the order numbers are in col A:

=SUMPRODUCT(--(LEN(A1:A50)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A1:A50,"A",""))))

In the SUBSTITUTE function, replace "A" with the specific
character that you want to count. Alpha charaters need to
be enclosed in quotes, numbers do not. This is case
sensitive! Better yet, use a cell to hold the character
that you want to count and use that cell reference in the
SUBSTITUTE function.

Biff

-----Original Message-----
I have a table of customers by row with the orders in one
column. Thus a
single cell may contain ordered items represented
as "A", "B", "C", etc. or
"1", "2", "3", etc.

So Jill could have an order "B,B" which would represent
and order for "two
item B's"
Sue's order is C,1,2,2 - where Sue wants 1 item "C", 1
item "1" and 2 item
"2's".

How can these "items" be tabulated for the total
worksheet order to list a
total for all the item "A's", "B's", etc and the
items "1's", "2's", etc.

Thanks for any help - for the future we need to see if
the worksheet could
be designed to comply with the lab's request to have the
order listed in a
single cell and still be able to compile a tabulation for
invoicing purposes.
.