Three date functions that each answer a different question — here's exactly when to reach for each one.
=DAYS(end_date, start_date)
=DAYS(B2, A2)
-- Total calendar days including weekends and holidays
-- Same as =B2-A2 but more readableUse DAYS when you need raw calendar days — contract duration, age calculations, days since an event.
=NETWORKDAYS(start_date, end_date, [holidays])
=NETWORKDAYS(A2, B2)
-- Working days between two dates, excluding weekends
=NETWORKDAYS(A2, B2, holidays_range)
-- Also excludes public holidays listed in holidays_rangeUse NETWORKDAYS when you need business days — project timelines, SLA calculations, delivery estimates, working day counts for HR.
=WORKDAY(start_date, days, [holidays])
=WORKDAY(TODAY(), 30)
-- Date 30 working days from today
=WORKDAY(A2, 5, holidays_range)
-- 5 working days after A2, excluding holidaysUse WORKDAY when you need a future or past date — "what date is 10 working days from today?", delivery date calculations, response deadline calculations.
| Question | Function |
|---|---|
| How many calendar days between A and B? | DAYS |
| How many working days between A and B? | NETWORKDAYS |
| What date is N working days from today? | WORKDAY |
| What date is N working days before a deadline? | WORKDAY (negative days) |
Both functions have .INTL variants that let you specify which days are weekends. Useful for businesses that work weekends or operate in countries with different weekend days (e.g. Friday-Saturday weekends).
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