

While the day part of the date would be represented by the whole number, the time part would be represented by the decimal.įor example, 44197.5 would represent 12:00 PM and 44197.25 would represent 09:00 AM Just like dates, even time values are stored as numbers in Excel. You can read more about subtracting dates in Excel here Subtract Time in Excel So you won’t be able to subtract dates with such a format For example, if you use, Excel won’t recognize it as a date and consider it a text string. Note: This formula would only work when you using a date that Excel recognizes as a valid date format. You can easily adjust this and get the values in numbers by going to the Home tab, and select General in the number format drop-down. This sometimes happens when Excel tries to be helpful and pick up the format from the adjacent column.

Again, you can use the fill handle to drag the function to the remaining cells.Īnd as with adding or subtracting days, you can change the number of months that you want to adjust in that column, and the function will provide you with your new dates.īonus: If you want to add or subtract years instead of months, set up your sheet, columns, and formatting the same as described above. Then, use the following DATE function in the new dates column with your correct cell references.There is a possibility that Excel will give you the result in the date format instead of a number as shown above. Hit Enter or Return to apply the function and confirm that it calculates correctly. Once more, your particular cell references might differ.įor our sheet, we’ll enter: =EDATE(B2,C2) Go to the first cell in the column for your new dates and enter the function to add the original date to the number of months. So, be sure that you have your three columns for the original dates, number of month adjustments, and new dates, and be ready to confirm that the date columns are formatted as such.Įnter the number of months that you want to add as positive and subtract as negative in the correct column. The setup is similar, but you’ll use the EDATE function to help calculate the adjustment. That’s 344 months between starting and ending date. For example: IF starting date is and End date is then the 'M' unit will display 344. 'M' subtract dates in excel to get months. Maybe it’s a savings, loan, or investment sheet. That’s 28 years between starting and ending date. You might have a spreadsheet where you need to add or subtract months rather than days.
#How to subtract in excel how to#
How to Add or Subtract Months from Dates in Excel Now that you have the formulas in your new date column, you can change the number of days in the adjustment column whenever you need to. Excel will automatically adjust the formulas to the corresponding cell references.
#How to subtract in excel manual#
To save manual work, you can use the fill handle to drag the cell containing the formula to the remaining cells in your column. You can then check to make sure that the formula calculated correctly. Place the cursor in the subtraction number position (cell B1) Do a copy (CTRL+C) Make a range A1:A10, containing the numbers that will be subtracted Do a. Hit Enter or Return to apply the formula. Depending on the columns and rows that you have in your sheet, the cell references might differ. Next, go to the first cell in the column for your new dates and enter a sum formula to add the number of days to the original date.
