Author: Oscar Cronquist Article last updated on May 31, 2022

The NETWORKDAYS function 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.

Formula in cell D3:

=NETWORKDAYS(B3,C3, B6:B7)

1. Excel Function Syntax

NETWORKDAYS(start_date, end_date, [holidays])

2. Arguments

start_date Required. The start date you want to use in the function.
end_date Required. The end date you want to use.
[holidays] Optional. Excludes this list of dates from being counted.

3. NETWORKDAYS Function example

WEEKDAY Function weekdays between dates

The formula in cell K6 counts weekdays (Monday to Friday) between two dates.

Formula in cell K6:

=NETWORKDAYS(K3, K4)

Explaining formula

Step 1 - NETWORKDAYS function

The NETWORKDAYS function 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.

NETWORKDAYS(start_dateend_date, [holidays])

Step 2 - Populate arguments

The NETWORKDAYS function has three arguments, the third is optional.

start_date - K3

end_date - K4

[holidays] - Not used here

Step 3 - Evaluate NETWORKDAYS function

NETWORKDAYS(K3, K4)

becomes

NETWORKDAYS(44631, 44648)

and returns 12.

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4. Create a list of weekdays only

WEEKDAY Function Create a list of weekdays only

This example demonstrates how to extract a list of weekdays (Monday to Friday) or networking days. The formula in cell J7 uses the two dates specified in cells K3 and K4 to create a list of weekdays.

Excel 365 formula:

=LET(x,SEQUENCE(K4-K3+1,,0)+K3,y,WEEKDAY(x,1),FILTER(x,(y<7)*(y>1)))

Explaining formula

This formula is a dynamic array formula and works only in Excel 365, it is entered as a regular formula

Step 1 - Calculate days between dates and add one

The minus and plus signs let you perform arithmetic operations in an Excel formula.

K4-K3+1

becomes

44648-44631+1

equals 18.

Step 2 - Create a sequence of numbers from 0 (zero) to 18

The SEQUENCE function creates a list of sequential numbers to a cell range or array. It is located in the Math and trigonometry category and is only available to Excel 365 subscribers.

SEQUENCE(rows, [columns], [start], [step])

SEQUENCE(K4-K3+1,,0)

becomes

SEQUENCE(18,,0)

and returns

{0; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12; 13; 14; 15; 16; 17}.

Step 3 - Add start date to sequence of numbers

SEQUENCE(K4-K3+1,,0)+K3

becomes

{0; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12; 13; 14; 15; 16; 17} + 44631

and returns

{44631; 44632; 44633; 44634; 44635; 44636; 44637; 44638; 44639; 44640; 44641; 44642; 44643; 44644; 44645; 44646; 44647; 44648}.

Step 4 - Calculate WEEKDAY number

WEEKDAY(SEQUENCE(K4-K3+1,,0)+K3,1)

becomes

WEEKDAY({44631; 44632; 44633; 44634; 44635; 44636; 44637; 44638; 44639; 44640; 44641; 44642; 44643; 44644; 44645; 44646; 44647; 44648},1)

and returns

{6; 7; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 1; 2}.

Step 5 - Check if weekday number is smaller than 7

Seven is the last weekday in a week and it represents Saturday if the second argument is one. The smaller than character lets you compare values, the result is a boolean value TRUE or FALSE.

WEEKDAY(SEQUENCE(K4-K3+1,,0)+K3,1)<7

becomes

{6; 7; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 1; 2}<7

and returns

{TRUE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE}.

Step 6 - Check if weekday numbers are larger than one

One represents Sunday and we want to identify dates thare equal to Monday to Friday, in other words, networkingdays.

WEEKDAY(SEQUENCE(K4-K3+1,,0)+K3,1)>1

becomes

{6; 7; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 1; 2}>1

and returns

{TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; TRUE}.

Step 7 - Multiply arrays

Both values on the same position in the arrays must return TRUE meaning we need to perform AND-logic. The asterisk lets us multiply values in an Excel formula.

TRUE * TRUE = 1
TRUE * FALSE = 0 (zero)
FALSE * FALSE = 0 (zero)

Boolean values have numerical equivalents, TRUE is equal to 1 and FALSE is equal to 0 (zero).

(WEEKDAY(SEQUENCE(K4-K3+1,,0)+K3,1)<7)*(WEEKDAY(SEQUENCE(K4-K3+1,,0)+K3,1)>1)

becomes

{TRUE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE} * {TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; TRUE}

and returns

{1; 0; 0; 1; 1; 1; 1; 1; 0; 0; 1; 1; 1; 1; 1; 0; 0; 1}.

Step 8 - Filter dates based on conditions

The FILTER function is a new function available to Excel 365 subscribers. It lets you extract values based on a condition or criteria.

FILTER(arrayinclude, [if_empty])

FILTER(SEQUENCE(K4-K3+1,,0)+K3,(WEEKDAY(SEQUENCE(K4-K3+1,,0)+K3,1)<7)*(WEEKDAY(SEQUENCE(K4-K3+1,,0)+K3,1)>1))

becomes

FILTER({44631; 44632; 44633; 44634; 44635; 44636; 44637; 44638; 44639; 44640; 44641; 44642; 44643; 44644; 44645; 44646; 44647; 44648},{1; 0; 0; 1; 1; 1; 1; 1; 0; 0; 1; 1; 1; 1; 1; 0; 0; 1})

and returns

{44631; 44634; 44635; 44636; 44637; 44638; 44641; 44642; 44643; 44644; 44645; 44648}.

Step 9 - Shorten formula

The LET function allows you to name intermediate calculation results which can shorten formulas considerably and improve performance.

LET(name1name_value1calculation_or_name2, [name_value2calculation_or_name3...])

x - SEQUENCE(K4-K3+1, , 0)+K3
y - WEEKDAY(x, 1)

LET(x, SEQUENCE(K4-K3+1, , 0)+K3, y, WEEKDAY(x, 1), COUNT(FILTER(x, (y<7)*(y>1))))

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5. Count weekdays in a month

WEEKDAY Function count weekdays in a month

Formula in cell K6:

=NETWORKDAYS(DATE(YEAR(K3), MONTH(K3), 1), DATE(YEAR(K3), MONTH(K3)+1, 1)-1)

Explaining formula

Steps 1 to 3 calculate the first date of the specified month in cell K3. Steps 4 to 6 calculate the last date in the specified month.

Step 1 - Calculate year based on date

The YEAR function returns a number representing the year from a given date.

YEAR(date)

YEAR(K3)

becomes

YEAR(44631)

and returns 2022.

Step 2 - Calculate month based on date

The MONTH function returns a number representing the month from a given date.

MONTH(date)

MONTH(K3)

becomes

MONTH(44631)

and returns 3.

Step 3 - Calculate first date based on year and month

The DATE function returns an Excel date based on a year, month, and day number.

DATE(year, month, day)

DATE(YEAR(K3), MONTH(K3), 1)

becomes

DATE(2022, 3, 1)

and returns 44621. (3/1/2022)

Step 4 - Calculate year based on the date

YEAR(K3)

becomes

YEAR(44631)

and returns 2022.

Step 5 - Calculate year based on month

MONTH(K3)+1

becomes

MONTH(44631)+1

and returns 4.

Step 6 - Calculate the last date based on year and month

DATE(YEAR(K3),MONTH(K3)+1,1)-1

becomes

DATE(2022, 4, 1)-1

becomes

44652-1

and returns 44651. (3/31/2022)

Step 7 - Calculate the number of days between two dates

NETWORKDAYS(DATE(YEAR(K3),MONTH(K3),1),DATE(YEAR(K3),MONTH(K3)+1,1)-1)

becomes

NETWORKDAYS(44621, 44651)

and returns 23.

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