# NullCount - chart function

NullCount() is used to aggregate the number of null values in each chart dimension.

Syntax:

NullCount({[SetExpression][DISTINCT] [TOTAL [<fld {,fld}>]]} expr)

Return data type: integer

Arguments

| Argument | Description |
| --- | --- |
| expr | The expression or field containing the data to be measured. |
| SetExpression | By default, the aggregation function<br>will aggregate over the set of possible records defined by the selection.<br>An alternative set of records can be defined by a set analysis<br>expression. |
| DISTINCT | If the word<br>DISTINCT occurs before the function<br>arguments, duplicates resulting from the evaluation of the function arguments are disregarded. |
| TOTAL | If the word<br>TOTAL occurs before the function<br>arguments, the calculation is made over all possible values given<br>the current selections, and not just those that pertain to the current dimensional value, that is, it disregards the chart dimensions.<br><br>By using TOTAL [&lt;fld {.fld}&gt;], where the TOTAL qualifier is followed by a list of one or more field names as a subset of the chart dimension variables, you create a subset of the total possible values.<br><br>[Defining the aggregation scope](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/sense/May2026/Subsystems/Hub/Content/Sense_Hub/ChartFunctions/define-aggregation-scope.htm) |

Example: Chart expressions

| Example | Result |
| --- | --- |
| `NullCount(OrderNumber)` | Returns the count of the null values in the `OrderNumber` field. |
| ` NullCount (OrderNumber)/NullCount ({1} Total OrderNumber)  ` | The expression returns the number of orders with `NULL` as the `OrderNumber` from the selected customer as a fraction of all orders from customers with `NULL` as the `OrderNumber`. |

## Example - NullCount fundamentals

[](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/sense/Subsystems/Hub/Content/Sense_Hub/ChartFunctions/CounterAggregationFunctions/nullcount.htm)

#### Chart expression

Overview

Open the Data load editor and add the load script below to a new section.

The load script contains:

* A dataset which is loaded into a data table called `Example`.

* The `NullInterpret` value handling variable which is set to `NULL`. The variable will interpret all records with the text `NULL` as null values.

* The following fields in the data table:

  * `Customer`

  * `Product`

  * `OrderNumber`

Load script

```
Set NULLINTERPRET = NULL;
Example:
LOAD * inline [
Customer|Product|OrderNumber
Astrida|AA|1
Astrida|AA|7
Astrida|BB|4
Astrida|CC|6
Betacab|AA|5
Betacab|BB|2
Betacab|DD|NULL
Canutility|AA|3
Canutility|AA|NULL
Canutility|CC|NULL
] (delimiter is '|');
```

Tip noteTo set the `NullInterpret` variable back to default include the following variable statement at the end of the load script: `Set NULLINTERPRET =;`

Results

Load the data and open a sheet. Create a new table and add this field as a dimension:

* `Customer`

Create the following measures:

* `=NullCount(OrderNumber)`, to calculate the number of orders that have `NULL` as an `OrderNumber`.

* `=NullCount (OrderNumber)/NullCount ({1} Total OrderNumber)`, to return the number of orders (from the selected customer) with `NULL` as an `OrderNumber` as a fraction of all orders from customers with `NULL` as the `OrderNumber`. To show this value as a percentage, under Number formatting, select Number &gt; Formatting Simple &gt; 12.34%.

Results table

| Customer | NullCount(OrderNumber) | NullCount (OrderNumber)/NullCount ({1} Total OrderNumber) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Totals | 3 | 100.00% |
| Astrida | 0 | 0.00% |
| Betacab | 1 | 33.33% |
| Canutility | 2 | 66.67% |

The first measure returns `3` because there are `3` total `OrderNumber` records with a `NULL` value (`1` record with the customer `Betacab` and `2` records with `Canutility`).

The second measure returns the number of `NULL` orders as a fraction of `NULL` orders from all customers. For example, `66.67%` of all order numbers with a `NULL` value are attributed to the customer `Canutility`.

## Example - Using NullCount to identify null values in KPI data

[](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/sense/Subsystems/Hub/Content/Sense_Hub/ChartFunctions/CounterAggregationFunctions/nullcount.htm)

#### Chart expression

Overview

A dataset contains monthly key product indicater (KPI) data. A product manager wants to find out which KPIs have null values in the data.

Open the Data load editor and add the load script below to a new section.

The load script contains:

* A dataset which is loaded into a data table called `Example`.

* The `NullInterpret` value handling variable which is set to `NULL`. The variable will interpret all records with the text `NULL` as null values.

* The following fields in the data table:

  * `Month`

  * `KPI`

  * `Value`

Load script

```
Set NULLINTERPRET = NULL;
Example:
LOAD * inline [
Month, KPI, Value
2024-01-01, Revenue, 5000
2024-02-01, Revenue, NULL
2024-03-01, Revenue, 5500
2024-04-01, Revenue, NULL
2024-01-01, Expenses, 3000
2024-02-01, Expenses, 3100
2024-03-01, Expenses, NULL
2024-04-01, Expenses, 3200
2024-01-01,Customer Count, 200
2024-02-01,Customer Count, 210
2024-03-01,Customer Count, NULL
2024-04-01,Customer Count, NULL
];
```

Tip noteTo set the `NullInterpret` variable back to default include the following variable statement at the end of the load script: `Set NULLINTERPRET =;`

Results

Load the data and open a sheet. Create a new pivot table and add this field as a row dimension:

* `KPI`

Create the following measure:

* `=NullCount(Value)`, to calculate the number of missing values.

Results table

| KPI | NullCount(Value) |
| --- | --- |
| Customer Count | 2 |
| Expenses | 1 |
| Revenue | 2 |

The results show that `5` records in the dataset have `NULL` values and the KPI categories to which these records relate.