Excel DATEDIFF Function
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This document explains how to work with dates in Microsoft Excel, detailing methods for entering dates and performing calculations. It introduces the DATEDIF function for calculating the difference between two dates in terms of days, months, and years, along with its syntax and parameters. The document emphasizes that Excel treats dates as numbers and offers tips for safe date entry based on regional settings.
Excel DATEDIFF Function
- 1. Working with Dates using Microsoft Excel & DateDif Function
- 2. Introduction to Excel DatesInternally Microsoft Excel stores dates as numbersYou can perform simple addition & subtraction calculations using + & - operatorsYou can type dates either in the format of mm/dd/yyyy (if your regional settings is set to American date) or dd/mm/yyyy (if it is in British format)But the safest way is to type ddmmmyy i.e. 10sep09 will automatically converted by excel to a date representing 10-Sep-09
- 3. Introduction to Excel DatesTo insert a date which automatically updates you can use a built in function:=DATE()If you want to enter a static current date you can also use the following shortcut key:Ctrl + ;that is press control key hold it down and along with that press ; key
- 4. Calculating Difference in Days – Example 1Suppose if I want to calculate my age in days i.e. how many days I have spent till my birth in this world and if today’s date is 07-Oct-09, I can use the minus operator to do that:My date of birthToday’s dateI can use – minus operatorThis represents number of days I am alive
- 5. But what about difference in months & years!
- 6. Introduction to DATEDIF functionThe answer to the question about month & year is DATEDIFYou can calculate difference of months & years between two dates by using DATEDIFIt’s one of the functions which is very rarely found in the Microsoft’s documentation for some good reasons
- 7. Syntax of DATEDIF=DATEDIF(start_date, end_date, “interval” )The function have 3 parametersstart_date: This is the date from which you want to calculate the difference this date should be an older date than the end_date.end_date: This date is the date to which you want to calculate the difference, it should be higher than the start_date.“interval”: As the syntax shows it should be included in “ … “ inverted commas, number of options in next slide.7
- 8. “interval”You can have any of the following values for the “interval” parameter:“d”: This parameter is used if you want difference in days“m”: This parameter is used if you want difference in months“y”:This parameter is used if you want difference in years“md”: This parameter is used if you want difference in days over months“ym”: This parameter is used if you want difference in months over year
- 9. Calculating Difference of Months & Years – Example 2d=DaysFunctionsResultsm=MonthsThis says that I am 31 years 0 months & 23 days oldy=Yearsym=Monthsover Yearmd=Daysover Month
- 10. Concatenating results / combining results – Example 3Say we want that Excel should display all the result in one cell i.e. 31 years 0 months & 23 days I can get help from & ampersand operatorText are enclosed in “ … “ inverted commas i.e. “I am “DATEDIF function itself which will return the required valuesTo attach any text with formula value we put & ampersand sign outside the “ … “ inverted commas
- 11. ConclusionMicrosoft Excel treats dates as numbersYou can perform addition & subtraction operations on datesWhen you type date it will convert the date as per the regional settings of your computer you can play safe by typing dates as mmdddyy10oct09If you want to calculate difference of dates for the intervals of months or years or even days over months and months over year you have a function DATEDIF which you can usePlease visit:www.exceladvise.comFor morePlease comment if you like it, or have anysuggestions.11Photo Courtesy – www.freedigitalphotos.net