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bogeybunky

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How to correct a 2010 Excel VALUE error

I am new to Excel so this is probably a very simple solution, but I cannot figure it out and any help would be greatly appreciated.
                     Column A           Column B         Column C                  Column D
Row 1      Divergence                   25               Divergence                      10
Row 2                                          -25               Divergence
Row 3                                           25               sssssss
Row 4                                           25               Divergence

I created the following forumla:     =COUNTIFS(C1:C4,A1,B1:B4,">D1")
It returns the VALUE error.  I think I understand that there are 2 different data types here that is causing the problem, but I cannot figure out how to fix it.

What I am trying to do is find the number of times the word divergence is found with positive value in column B.  The answer is 2.

Thank you.
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StephenJR
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It should probably be

=COUNTIFS(C1:C4,A1,B1:B4,">"&D1)
That said, not sure why you would have got a value error.
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I can't generate the error either - and probably above is definitely having tried it I get answer 2, with the addition of value 10 in D4 which I presume was a question typo.
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bogeybunky

ASKER

Okay, making some progress here.  I think I over simplified.  The following is more like my real problem

                    Column A           Column B         Column C                  Column D    Column E
Row 1      Divergence                   25               Divergence             Divergence           10
Row 2                                          -25               Divergence             Divergence
Row 3                                           25               sssssss                     ssssss
Row 4                                           25               Divergence             Divergence

Formula:   =COUNTIFS(C1:D4,A1,B1:B4,">"&D1)

I get the correct answer with only Column C, but when I add Column D I am back to VALUE error.

By the way either ">"&D1  or ">"D1 works with only Column C, but both give the error when I add Column D.
That's a different set up. You can only have a single colum reference so C1:D4 won't work.

=SUMPRODUCT((C1:C4=A1)*(D1:D4=A1)*(B1:B4>E1))
Thank you very much StephenJR.  

That does indeed work to get rid of the VALUE error, but the answer is not what I am looking for.  The formula you gave me produces 2 as the result when the answer I am looking for is 4.

I want to know the number of times the word "Divergence" appears when the corresponding value in column B is greater than 10.  That condition occurs twice in column C and twice in Column D.  So I am sure there is some subtlety that I am missing.
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barry houdini
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Thank you very much to all who helped.  I have been a Quattro Pro user for many, many years, but because of instability problems decided I had to learn Excel.  Your help has been invaluable  to me.  thanks again.  I am sure I will be back.