Can SUMPRODUCT be used?

[Craig1]

Hi Guys,
I hope I explain myself clearly enough here.

I want to use something like a SUMPRODUCT function to determine how may times a certain mechanical item appears on my list.
I can't put the item number in because I have a couple of thousand on the list.
If it can be done I want H1 to have the function inserted so it will show me the result and if I click on any cell in column H it will tell me how many times that cell value appears in column H. I want it to count all cells in the column, hidden or visible.
This is basically going to tell me if it is a "bad actor" and it needs further investigation and ultimately a replacement. Or is there another way of doing this.
I even though of a counter in culumn I, so when an item was repeated it had a continuous count up. So the first time it appeared on the list it had 1 in column I at the side of it and then 300 rows down it appears again so it has 2 in column I.

Any help would be appreciated or further explanation.

Craig.

 

[Andrew Poulsom]

For the formula in I2:

=COUNTIF(H$2:H2,H2)

copied down.

 

[Craig1]

Thanks for the quick reply Andrew.
That works perfectly.
Is there any chance you could explain how it works. I have come across and used a lot of functions but not COUNTIF, what does it exactly mean and do???

Thanks again

Craig.

 

[Andrew Poulsom]

It counts the number of cells within a range that meet the given criteria. For more information look in Excel Help.