Find missing dates in a set of date ranges
The formula in cell B8, shown above, extracts dates not included in the date ranges, in other words, dates that are between date ranges.
I have also built a small calendar using conditional formatting to show exactly where the missing dates are. The formula below works fine with overlapping date ranges.
I will explain the formula in this article and there will also be a file for you to download.
Array formula in cell B8:
To enter an array formula, type the formula in a cell then press and hold CTRL + SHIFT simultaneously, now press Enter once. Release all keys.
The formula bar now shows the formula with a beginning and ending curly bracket telling you that you entered the formula successfully. Don't enter the curly brackets yourself.
Now copy cell B8 and paste as far as needed to cells below.
How to adjust cell references in the array formula to your worksheet
Cell range $B$3:$B$5 is the start dates of the date ranges and $C$3:$C$5 contains the end dates.
$B$3:$C$5 contains both start and end dates of your date ranges. Adjust these accordingly to your worksheet and don't forget to enter the formula as an array formula.
$A$1:A1 is only an expanding cell reference that lets the SMALL function extract the correct date value, you don't need to change it.
Explaining formula in cell B8
Step 1 - Create an array of Excel dates
The following formula returns an array of Excel dates needed to extract the missing dates.
ROW(INDIRECT(MIN($B$3:$C$5)&":"&MAX($B$3:$C$5)))
becomes
ROW(INDIRECT(43102&":"&43114))
becomes
ROW(INDIRECT(43102:&43114))
and returns {43102; 43103; 43104; 43105; 43106; 43107; 43108; 43109; 43110; 43111; 43112; 43113; 43114}.
Step 2 - COUNTIFS function returns an array that indicates which dates are outside the date ranges
The COUNTIFS function returns an array that we can use to extract dates not in date ranges. This particular COUNTIFS function has 4 arguments, however, you can use up to 255 arguments.
COUNTIFS($B$3:$B$5, "<="&ROW(INDIRECT(MIN($B$3:$C$5)&":"&MAX($B$3:$C$5))), $C$3:$C$5, ">="&ROW(INDIRECT(MIN($B$3:$C$5)&":"&MAX($B$3:$C$5))))
becomes
COUNTIFS($B$3:$B$5,{"<=43102"; "<=43103"; "<=43104"; "<=43105"; "<=43106"; "<=43107"; "<=43108"; "<=43109"; "<=43110"; "<=43111"; "<=43112"; "<=43113"; "<=43114"},$C$3:$C$5,{">=43102"; ">=43103"; ">=43104"; ">=43105"; ">=43106"; ">=43107"; ">=43108"; ">=43109"; ">=43110"; ">=43111"; ">=43112"; ">=43113"; ">=43114"})
and returns {1; 1; 1; 0; 0; 1; 1; 0; 0; 0; 1; 1; 1}.
Step 3 - Compare each value in array with 0 (zero)
Value 0 (zero) shows us that the corresponding date is not in the date range so I am now going to compare each value in the array to 0 (zero).
COUNTIFS($B$3:$B$5, "<="&ROW(INDIRECT(MIN($B$3:$C$5)&":"&MAX($B$3:$C$5))), $C$3:$C$5, ">="&ROW(INDIRECT(MIN($B$3:$C$5)&":"&MAX($B$3:$C$5))))=0
becomes
{1; 1; 1; 0; 0; 1; 1; 0; 0; 0; 1; 1; 1}=0
and returns {FALSE; FALSE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; FALSE; FALSE}.
Step 4 - IF function returns an array of correct dates
The IF function uses the logical values to filter the dates we are looking for.
IF(COUNTIFS($B$3:$B$5, "<="&ROW(INDIRECT(MIN($B$3:$C$5)&":"&MAX($B$3:$C$5))), $C$3:$C$5, ">="&ROW(INDIRECT(MIN($B$3:$C$5)&":"&MAX($B$3:$C$5))))=0, ROW(INDIRECT(MIN($B$3:$C$5)&":"&MAX($B$3:$C$5))))
becomes
IF({FALSE; FALSE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; FALSE; FALSE}, {43102; 43103; 43104; 43105; 43106; 43107; 43108; 43109; 43110; 43111; 43112; 43113; 43114})
and returns {FALSE; FALSE; FALSE; 43105; 43106; FALSE; FALSE; 43109; 43110; 43111; FALSE; FALSE; FALSE}
Step 5 - Extract the k-th smallest number (date)
The SMALL function returns dates based on their sizes, the second argument uses an expanding cell reference so that the small function extracts the smallest value in cell B8 and the second smallest in cell B9 and so on.
SMALL(IF(COUNTIFS($B$3:$B$5, "<="&ROW(INDIRECT(MIN($B$3:$C$5)&":"&MAX($B$3:$C$5))), $C$3:$C$5, ">="&ROW(INDIRECT(MIN($B$3:$C$5)&":"&MAX($B$3:$C$5))))=0, ROW(INDIRECT(MIN($B$3:$C$5)&":"&MAX($B$3:$C$5)))), ROWS($A$1:A1))
becomes
SMALL({FALSE; FALSE; FALSE; 43105; 43106; FALSE; FALSE; 43109; 43110; 43111; FALSE; FALSE; FALSE}, ROWS($A$1:A1))
becomes
SMALL({FALSE; FALSE; FALSE; 43105; 43106; FALSE; FALSE; 43109; 43110; 43111; FALSE; FALSE; FALSE}, 1)
and returns 43105 in cell B8.
Excel formats the number as a date and shows 1/5/2018, see picture below.
Download excel *.xlsx file
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Excellent. Thanks.
I just had to say that the 'Find the missing dates' formula is beautifully elegant and can be adapted to any series in sequential order (numbers, text etc).
Thank you very much for this gem.
Hello
what do i do if i want to compare the dates i've found as a result of your excellent formula to another table of date range and filter them.
For example i have found 1/7/2014
2/7/2014
3/7/2014
31/12/2015
13/6/2015
19/9/2015
and i need to find out which dates are between start: end:
1/6/2013 12/5/2015
17/6/2015 31/12/2016
Thank you !