With the new version of Microsoft Office, Excel has extended functions, including the calculation of the date difference.
Calculate date difference using the days function in Excel
Microsoft Excel is a comprehensive program that contains many functions. To calculate the date difference between different days in Excel, you only need the appropriate command, which the system will recognize if you enter it correctly. Then add two more dates between which the program should calculate the difference.
- First enter the command =DATEDIF (Abbreviation for DATEDIFFERENCE, which means days difference in German). This is necessary so that the Excel program can calculate the difference in the dates.
- Then add the “target date” and then the “start date” in brackets. The complete command looks like this: =DATEDIF(“31.03.2013″;”21.03.2013”).
- In case you already have a calendar in the Excel file, you can also use the field names instead of the dates. In this case, your command could look like this: =DATEDIF(A85,A75,”d”). The letter “d” in this context stands for “day”.
Calculate the difference between other units in Excel – this is how it is possible
Not only can you have Excel differentiate between different dates, but you can also use the program to determine different values for other parameters such as months or years. This makes Excel a versatile program for beginners and professionals.
- If you want to see the difference between months in Excel, use the abbreviation “m”. Your input in the program is therefore =DATEDIF(A2,A3,“m“).
- If you want to know the distance in years, there is also a suitable command in Excel. To do this, use the letter “y” (abbreviation for year in English). The formula is therefore =DATEDIF(A2,A3,“y“).
- Of course, Excel can do a lot more than that, such as performing mathematical calculations or creating diagrams. This helps you organize and plan at work and in everyday life so that you don't lose track of different numbers.