How to calculate number of days between two dates in Excel

When planning for an event or any other important date, you may need to know how many days are in between before the big day. Counting the days with the manual methods may be tiresome and a time confusing. Therefore, you may need an automatic method to assist you in counting the day's in-between. Excel got you covered! Excel allows its users to calculate the number of days between the start and end days.

Some numerous ways and functions that can be used to achieve this. Let us discuss some of these functions;

Table of Contents

Using the DAYS function

DAYS function is an in-built Excel function that is used to calculate days-related problems. This function can be used to calculate the number of days between two dates. Here are the steps to achieve this;

1. Firstly, open the worksheet you're working on, and then you need to specify the start and end date. To do so, select two columns and name one "Start date" and the other as " End date."

2. Then select another column and name it "Days difference."

3. On the main screen, click the Formulas tab and then locate the "insert function" button. Click on it.

4. A dialogue box opens. On this dialogue box, locate the "Search for function" section. Type "DAYS" and click the "Go" button. From the list, choose the DAYS option. Alternatively, you can directly type the DAYS function into the Days Difference cell.

=DAYS(End_date,start_date)

5. Finally, hit the Enter button.

Using DATEDIF Function

DATEDIF, derived from date difference, is an Excel in-built function that is used to calculate the date difference between two dates.

Steps followed when using this method are;

1. Firstly, open the worksheet you're working on, and then you need to specify the start and end date. To do so, select two columns and name one "Start date" and the other as " End date." Then select another column and name it "Days difference."

2. Unlike the DAYS function, the DATEDIF function takes three arguments. That is, Start date, the end date, and text string( "D" for days, "M" for months, and "Y" for years)

3. Click on the empty cell within the Days difference column and type these commands;

=DATEDIF(end_date,start_date,"D")

4. Hit the Enter button and you will have the day's difference.

Using NetworkDays function

Below are the steps to use this method;

1. Firstly, open the worksheet you're working on, and then you need to specify the start and end date. To do so, select two columns and name one "Start date" and the other as " End date."

2. Then select another column and name it "Days difference."

3. On the main screen, click the Formulas tab and then locate the "insert function" button. Click on it.

4. A dialogue box opens. On this dialogue box, locate the "Search for function" section. Type "NETWORKDAYS" and click the "Go" button.