how to calculate days between two dates in excel
How to Calculate Days Between Two Dates in Excel
To calculate the number of days between two dates in Excel, you can use a simple formula. Here’s how to do it:
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Subtracting Dates:
- Assuming the start date is in cell A1 and the end date is in cell B1, you can calculate the number of days between the two dates using the following formula:
=B1-A1
This formula subtracts the start date from the end date, giving you the number of days between the two dates.
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Using DATEDIF Function:
- Another method is to use the DATEDIF function, which is a built-in function in Excel designed specifically to calculate the difference between two dates. The syntax of the DATEDIF function is:
=DATEDIF(start_date, end_date, "D")
In this formula, replace “start_date” with the reference to the first date and “end_date” with the reference to the second date. The “D” argument tells Excel to calculate the difference in days.
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Date Functions:
- You can also use the combination of other date functions like YEAR, MONTH, and DAY to calculate the difference between two dates in days. For example:
=DATEDIF(A1, B1, "D")
This formula will give you the number of days between the dates in cells A1 and B1.
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Date Formatting:
- Ensure that the cells containing the dates are formatted as dates. You can do this by selecting the cells, right-clicking, choosing “Format Cells,” and then selecting the date format.
By following these methods, you can easily calculate the number of days between two dates in Excel.