EDATE
The EDATE function adds or subtracts a specified number of months to a given date, returning the resulting date. This function is useful for calculating future or past dates relative to a given date.
Example explanation
Column C uses the EDATE function to calculate the date that is a specific number of months after the initial date listed in column A.
Syntax 🔗
=EDATE(start_date, months)
start_date | The initial date from which the calculation begins. |
months | The number of months to add (positive) or subtract (negative) from the start date to determine the resulting date. |
About EDATE 🔗
When you need to navigate through time within Excel and determine dates that are a set number of months ahead or behind, the EDATE function comes to your rescue. It facilitates the manipulation of dates by adding or subtracting a specified number of months to a given starting date, enabling you to project future dates or retrospectively analyze past dates with ease. This function proves to be particularly handy for financial planning, project management, or any task that involves date calculations across varying time frames.
Examples 🔗
If you have a start date of June 15, 2021, and you want to find the date that is 3 months ahead, you can use the EDATE function as follows: =EDATE("6/15/2021", 3). This will return September 15, 2021.
For a task starting on December 10, 2021, and requiring you to determine the date 6 months earlier for reference, the EDATE function can be used as follows: =EDATE("12/10/2021", -6). This will yield June 10, 2021, as the result.
Notes 🔗
Ensure that the start date is entered in a valid Excel date format or references a cell containing a valid date value. The months argument can be positive for future dates or negative for past dates. The EDATE function automatically adjusts the year if the resulting month exceeds or goes below the standard calendar range (January to December).
Questions 🔗
Yes, the EDATE function can handle both positive values, which add months to the start date (to calculate future dates), and negative values, which subtract months from the start date (to determine past dates).
What happens if the resulting month exceeds or goes below the standard calendar range when using the EDATE function?If the resulting month surpasses December or goes below January when adding or subtracting months using the EDATE function, Excel automatically adjusts the year accordingly.
Is the EDATE function limited to specific date formats for the start date argument?No, the EDATE function is versatile in accepting various date formats for the start_date argument. You can input dates in standard date formats like "mm/dd/yyyy" or refer to cells containing valid date values.