How to use the DATEDIF function
Author: Oscar Cronquist Article last updated on May 09, 2022
The DATEDIF function returns the number of days, months, or years between two dates. The DATEDIF function exists in order to ensure compatibility with Louts 1-2-3.
Be careful with this function, there are cases where the DATEDIF may return unreliable results.
Formula in cell D3:
=DATEDIF(B3,C3,"Y")
Formula in cell D4:
=DATEDIF(B3,C3,"D")
Formula in cell D5:
=DATEDIF(B3,C3,"YD")
Formula in cell D6:
=DATEDIF(B3,C3,"M")
Formula in cell D7:
=DATEDIF(B3,C3,"MD")
Excel Function Syntax
DATEDIF(start_date,end_date,unit)
Note, this function shows no arguments in the formula bar.
Arguments
| start_date | Required. The beginning date of the range you want to calculate. |
| end_date | Required. The ending date of the period. |
| unit | Required. This determines what the function returns. See table below. |
| Unit | Output |
| "Y" | Complete years in the range. |
| "M" | Complete months in the range. |
| "D" | Days in the range. |
| "MD" | Months and years of the dates are ignored. Don't use this argument, may return incorrect results. |
| "YM" | Returns months. Days and years of the date arguments are ignored. |
| "YD" | Returns days. The years of the date arguments are ignored. |
Comments
Don't use the "MD" argument.
'DATEDIF' Function examples
The following 3 articles have formulas containing the DATEDIF function.
Days between two dates
The DATEDIF function in cell E3 allows you to calculate days between two dates. Weekly Blog EMAIL [newsletter_signup_form id=1] Welcome! […]
The DATEDIF function in cell E3 allows you to calculate days between two dates. Weekly Blog EMAIL [newsletter_signup_form id=1] Welcome! […]
How to calculate the number of months between dates
The image above shows the DATEDIF function calculating the number of complete months between two dates. Column B and column C […]
The image above shows the DATEDIF function calculating the number of complete months between two dates. Column B and column C […]
How to calculate the number of years between dates
The image above demonstrates the DATEDIF function calculating the number of complete years between two dates. Column B and column C […]
The image above demonstrates the DATEDIF function calculating the number of complete years between two dates. Column B and column C […]
Functions in 'Date and Time' category
The DATEDIF function function is one of many functions in the 'Date and Time' category.
Returns a number that acts as a date in the Excel environment.
Returns the number of days, months, or years between two dates. The DATEDIF function exists in order to ensure compatibility with Louts 1-2-3.
Returns an Excel date value (serial number) based on a date stored as text.
Extracts the day as a number from an Excel date.
Calculates the number of days between two dates.
Returns a date determined by a start date and a number representing how many months.
Returns an Excel date for the last day of a given month using a number and a start date.
Returns an integer representing the hour of an Excel time value.
Returns a whole number representing the minute based on an Excel time value. The returned number is ranging from 0 to 59.
Extracts the month as a number from an Excel date.
Returns the number of working days between two dates, excluding weekends. It also allows you to ignore a list of holiday dates that you can specify.
Calculates the number of working days between two dates, excluding weekends.
Returns the current date and time.
Returns an integer representing the second based on an Excel time value
Returns a decimal value between 0 (zero) representing 12:00:00 AM and 0.99988426 representing 11:59:59 P.M.
Returns a decimal number based on a text string.
Returns the Excel date (serial number) of the current date.
Converts a date to a weekday number from 1 to 7.
Calculates a given date's week number based on a return_type parameter that determines which day the week begins.
Returns a date based on a start date and a given number of working days (nonweekend and nonholidays).
Converts a date to a number representing the year in the date.
Returns the fraction of the year based on the number of whole days between a start date and an end date.
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