HOW TO COUNT DAYS AND CALCULATE DATES IN EXCEL
Do you need to track deadlines or schedules in Excel?
This guide shows how to count days and calculate dates with ease.
Simple functions and formulas make counting days between two dates fast and accurate.
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UNDERSTANDING HOW EXCEL HANDLES DATES
Excel stores dates as serial numbers for easy calculation.
Each day is a whole number, starting from January 1, 1900.
Incorrect formatting can break your date calculations.
Always check the date format in the Format Cells option.
HOW TO COUNT DAYS BETWEEN TWO DATES
To count the number of days between two dates, use a subtraction formula.
Type =End_Date – Start_Date in a new cell.
For example, =B2 – A2 will give the number of days.
This formula works well for quick comparisons.
USE THE DATEDIF FUNCTION TO GET EXACT DIFFERENCES
The DATEDIF function works when calculating differences in days, months, or years.
Write =DATEDIF(A2, B2, “d”) to count days between two dates.
Change “d” to “m” for months or “y” for years.
This function is hidden but works perfectly in Excel.
💡You may also want to see How to Find Duplicate Values in Two Excel Columns.
HOW TO ADD OR SUBTRACT DAYS FROM A DATE
To calculate future or past dates, use simple addition or subtraction.
Write =A2 + 10 to add ten days to a date in A2.
Subtract days using =A2 – 10 to go backward in time.
This helps when planning deadlines or follow-up dates.
USE THE TODAY FUNCTION FOR CURRENT DATE CALCULATIONS
The TODAY function returns the current date every time the sheet opens.
Type =TODAY() to get today’s date automatically.
Calculate days until a deadline using =A2 – TODAY().
This formula updates daily and stays accurate.
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HOW TO COUNT ONLY WEEKDAYS BETWEEN TWO DATES
Use the NETWORKDAYS function to skip weekends in your calculation.
Write =NETWORKDAYS(A2, B2) to count weekdays only.
Include holidays with a third argument like =NETWORKDAYS(A2, B2, HolidayRange).
This helps when managing work schedules and business planning.
FIXING COMMON EXCEL DATE ERRORS
If you see #####, the column might be too narrow.
Resize the column or format the cell properly.
Wrong results often come from mixing text and date formats.
Check the cell content using Format Cells > Date.
CONCLUSION
Excel makes counting days and calculating dates simple and efficient.
Use the right formula or function depending on your needs.
Join communities like r/excel to learn new tips.
Keep experimenting to become confident with date formulas in Excel.
💡You may also want to see How to Have Multiple Lines of Text in One Excel Cell.
Important: This post is for informational and educational purposes only. This post should not be taken as therapy advice, financial advice or used as a substitute for such. You should always speak to your own therapist or financial advisor before implementing this information on your own. Thank you!
