In Excel: list your bins in a column, then count each one with =COUNTIFS($A$2:$A$200,">="&C2,$A$2:$A$200,"<"&D2) — or use =FREQUENCY(data, bins) for a single spilled array.
On this page7
Decide the bins first and write them in their own column; equal widths unless the data is strongly skewed.
For text categories use =COUNTIF($A$2:$A$200, C2) beside each distinct label.
For numeric bins use =COUNTIFS with an explicit >= lower bound and < upper bound so no value is counted twice.
Alternatively enter =FREQUENCY(data_range, bins_range) once — in Microsoft 365 it spills; in older versions select the output cells and press Ctrl+Shift+Enter.
Add a total row and check it equals COUNT of the source range — that is the audit that catches gaps and overlaps.
What this does
A frequency table counts how many values fall into each category or numeric bin. For text categories, =COUNTIF(range, criterion) per distinct value is enough. For numbers you either write COUNTIFS with an explicit lower and upper bound per bin — which is readable and easy to audit — or use FREQUENCY, which takes the whole data range and a bins array and spills one count per bin plus one extra for everything above the last bin. Keep the inputs visible and clearly labelled and the whole thing stays auditable — anyone who opens the file later, including you, can see at a glance exactly what feeds the result and change one assumption without hunting through the formula. Treat “excel frequency distribution table” as a small repeatable workflow rather than a one-off click you hope to remember next time. Use a small test block before the live file, so any surprise in the affected cells shows up while it is still harmless. When a formula is involved, keep the inputs labelled beside it, reference cells instead of typing values, and apply number formatting only after the result checks out. That turns a layout choice that keeps the sheet readable and sortable into a method you can reuse, explain, and defend when the workbook leaves your screen.
A worked example
A2:A200 holds 199 order values. Bins in C2:C6 read 0, 50, 100, 200, 500 as upper bounds. =FREQUENCY(A2:A200, C2:C6) entered in D2 spills six numbers: the counts at or below each bound, plus a final count of everything above 500. Written as COUNTIFS instead, the 50–100 bin is =COUNTIFS($A$2:$A$200,">=50",$A$2:$A$200,"<100") — 47 orders. A frequency table is the first honest look at a column of numbers: it shows where the mass sits, whether the distribution is skewed, and whether an average is worth quoting at all. Check the referenced cells, argument order and result type in your workbook. Start with the worked example before changing an input, then compare the changed result with the calculation you expected. An error value or a result of a different type is a reason to inspect the inputs and arguments.
In Google Sheets
The standard worksheet functions used by this example are listed in Google Sheets. Check the cell references, argument separators and input types in the target spreadsheet, then compare the worked result. This formula-availability check does not establish identical menus, keyboard shortcuts or workbook features, and it is not a product execution test. Nothing on this page is behind a login or a download: the exact answer is at the top, and the detail below it is there for when you need it. That is the whole promise here — the answer first, and just enough context to make it stick. For “excel frequency distribution table”, keep the input cells and the result visible while you check the formula in Excel. Follow the worked example and change one input at a time. The steps explain the workbook calculation; this page does not run a live calculator for that task.
Common mistakes
- Overlapping bins (0–50 and 50–100 both using >= and <=), which counts boundary values twice.
- Forgetting
FREQUENCYreturns one more value than the number of bins — the overflow count for everything above the last bound. - Leaving the data range relative, so filling the formula down shifts it off the data; anchor it with $.
- Building bins after looking at the answer you want, which is how a distribution gets shaped to fit a conclusion.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between FREQUENCY and COUNTIFS?
FREQUENCY does the whole table in one formula and returns an array; COUNTIFS does one bin per formula but is easier to read, audit and adjust. Both give identical counts when the bins line up.
Why does FREQUENCY return an extra number?
The last value is the count of everything greater than the highest bin — the overflow bucket. Always give it a row so the total reconciles.
How do I turn a frequency table into a chart?
Select the bin labels and the counts and insert a clustered column chart, or use Insert ▸ Statistic Chart ▸ Histogram to let Excel bin the raw data itself.
Can a PivotTable do this?
Yes — put the value field in Rows, right-click ▸ Group to set the bin width, and drop the same field into Values as Count. That is often the fastest route for one-off analysis.