Excel Function DATE

While using Microsoft Excel, you must have got the situation where you need to use the Date function. Date function is one of the common and most used function in Excel that helps in various calculations. This Function also helps to convert the serial numbers to Date format of your choice.

Excel Function DATE Formula:

=DATE(YEAR,MONTH,DAY)

Now while looking at above Formula, there are four parameters which are described as below:

1. Year: This argument is used to denote or get the year from the serial numbers. It is advisable to use the four digits while using arguments for “Year”.

For Example: If you enter below formula

Syntax: =Date(2019,9,19) will give result to 09/19/2019

And If you write the above formula as below:

Syntax: =Date(19,9,19) will give result to 09/19/1919

Here we mentioned only two Digits in Year Argument. Since Microsoft Excel has it’s calendar starts from Year 1900 and sometimes gives the incorrect result. That’s why it converted 19 to 1919 (1900+19)

So it is to advised that correct syntax with four digits is used to get the accurate results.

2. Month: Month argument is used to denote or get the month from the serial numbers. It is a numeric number starts from 1 to 12. If any negative or more than 12 numbers are used in function, then month would be adjusted from year.

For Example: If you enter below formula

Syntax: =Date(2019,9,19) will give result to 09/19/2019

So if you write this formula as below:

Syntax: =Date(2019,13,19) will give result to 01/19/2020

Here we mentioned “13” in the month, that is more than 12. In this case Microsoft excel will add the month and adjust the year. So adding 12+1 (i.e. December + 1 month) will be January and year would be changed to next year i.e. from 2019 to 2020

And if you write this formula like below:

Syntax: =Date(2019,-1,19) will give result to 11/19/2018

Here we mentioned “-1” in the month. In this case Microsoft excel will deduct one month from the year and will provide the output. So, adjusting (2019 – 1 month) will be November and year would be changed to previous year i.e. from 2019 to 2018

3. Day: This argument is used to denote or get the Day from the serial numbers. It is a numeric number starts from 1 to 31. If any negative or more than 31 numbers are used in function, then days would be adjusted from month and year.

For Example, if you write this formula:

Syntax: =Date(2019,9,19) will give result to 09/19/2019

So if you write this formula as:

Syntax: =Date(2019,09,32) will give result to 10/02/2019

Here we mentioned “32” in the month, that is 2 additional days of 30 days in September. In this case Microsoft excel will add the days to next month. So, adding 30+2 (i.e. 30^th September + 2 days) will be 2^nd October and output will be 10/02/2019 (i.e. 2^nd October 2019)

Now if you write this formula as

Syntax: =Date(2019,09,-15) will give result to 08/16/2019

Here we mentioned “-15” in the days. In this case Microsoft excel will deduct 15 days from the given month So, adjusting (September – 15 days) will be 16^th August and output will be 08/16/2019 i.e. (16^th August 2019)

Here you may also link any of the above argument with any cells in excel to drive the formula on the basis of variables. So if your data is like below:

Above Formula in Cell D2 contains the Date function which is linked to Cell A2,B2,C2. So now this is driven by variable values. Hence you may use this function with multiple data points to create date. Hope you liked this article.

Please comment and share your valuable feedback or if you have any questions.