# Baserow Count Field - Auto-Count Linked Table Rows

> No manual tallying required - Baserow's Count field watches a Link to table field and keeps a live row total updated, ready to sort or filter immediately.

Source: https://opennix.org/en/docs/baserow/field-types/count-field/


The Count field automatically tallies how many rows are linked to the current record through a [Link to table field](/docs/baserow/field-types/link-to-table-field/), and it refreshes that number the moment a link is added or removed. This article covers what a Count field is, the prerequisite you need before creating one, how to set it up with a customers-and-orders example, how to sort and filter by the count, and how it differs from a [Rollup field](/docs/baserow/field-types/rollup-field/).

![Configuring a new Count field in Baserow](/images/baserow/field-types/count-field-add-new-field.webp)

## What is a Count field?

A Count field only works *after* you have set up a [Link to table field](/docs/baserow/field-types/link-to-table-field/). It looks at that link and displays a number representing *how many* records are linked to that specific row.

This field is read-only, meaning you cannot type a number into it yourself. It is an automatic calculation that updates every time a record is added to or removed from the linked [Link to table field](/docs/baserow/field-types/link-to-table-field/).

## How to create a Count field

### Prerequisite

You must have an existing [Link to table field](/docs/baserow/field-types/link-to-table-field/) in your table before you can create a Count field.

### Steps

1. In your table, click the plus sign `+` to [add a new field](/docs/baserow/fields/adding-a-field/).
2. Give the field a name, for example "Total orders" or "Task count".
3. Select **Count** from the field type dropdown menu.
4. From the **Select a link row field** dropdown, choose the [Link to table field](/docs/baserow/field-types/link-to-table-field/) you want to count. If you have several links, pick the one that matches the records you want to total.
5. Click **Create**.

The new read-only field is populated immediately with the total count of linked records for every row.

## Example: customers and orders

Say you have two tables and you want to see the *total number of orders* each customer has placed, right inside your **Customers** table.

1. The **Customers** table holds `Customer name` and `Email`.
2. The **Orders** table holds `Order ID` and a [Link to table field](/docs/baserow/field-types/link-to-table-field/) called `[Link] Customer`.

**Solution:** in the **Customers** table you would:

1. Create a Count field named "Total orders".
2. Configure it to watch the `[Link] Customer` field, which shows up in **Customers** as a link to **Orders**.

The "Total orders" field now automatically displays a number - say, "3" - for each customer, showing exactly how many orders they are linked to.

### Sorting and filtering

A Count field is handy for sorting or filtering a table. For example, you could:

- **Sort** your Customers table by the "Total orders" field in descending order to surface your most active customers first;
- **Filter** your Tasks table so it only shows rows where "Subtask count" is greater than 0.

## Frequently asked questions

**What's the difference between a Count field and a Rollup field?** They look similar but differ in scope. A Count field *only* counts the number of linked records. A [Rollup field](/docs/baserow/field-types/rollup-field/) can run other calculations - sum, average, minimum, maximum, or a count based on a *specific field* inside the linked records, such as "Sum of order amount" or "Average rating". If all you need is "how many", the Count field is the simplest and fastest option.

**Why can't I edit the number in a Count field?** Because it is a read-only, automatic calculation rather than a manual-entry field. The number is a *result* of how many records are linked, not a value you set yourself. To change it, add or remove links in the associated [Link to table field](/docs/baserow/field-types/link-to-table-field/) instead.

**Does the Count field update automatically?** Yes. As soon as you add or remove a link in the Link to table field, the Count field updates in real time to reflect the new total.

## What's next

Once you're comfortable counting linked rows, check the [Baserow field types overview](/docs/baserow/fields/baserow-field-overview/) to see how a Count field compares with its neighbors, read about the [Rollup field](/docs/baserow/field-types/rollup-field/) when you need sums or averages instead of a plain count, or explore the [lookup field](/docs/baserow/field-types/lookup-field/) to pull the linked values themselves rather than just a total.