Dates function
Excel DAYS function
DAYS returns the number of days between two dates. Use it to measure how long a task took, how many days an order took to ship, or how long until a launch.
=DAYS(end_date, start_date)Arguments
end_date- The later date. It comes first.
start_date- The earlier date.
DAYS examples
Every result below was calculated from this sample sheet by the same spreadsheet engine the Cellwise app uses.
| A | B | C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Task | Start | Finish |
| 2 | Site survey | 2026-11-02 | 2026-11-06 |
| 3 | Design | 2026-11-09 | 2026-12-18 |
| 4 | Build | 2026-12-21 | 2027-03-31 |
Result: 39
The design phase ran for 39 days.
Result: 149
From the first start to the last finish, the whole project spans 149 days.
Result: -39
Swap the order and you get a negative number: -39.
Result: today’s date-based value (it changes every day)
Days from today until the build finishes. It counts down each day.
How to use DAYS
- Click the cell for the result.
- Type =DAYS( and click the later date first.
- Type a comma and click the earlier date.
- Press Enter.
Common DAYS mistakes
Putting the start date first
DAYS takes the end date first. Reversed dates give a negative number.
Expecting it to count both days
DAYS counts the gap, so Monday to Friday is 4. Add 1 if you need both ends included.
Wanting working days only
DAYS counts weekends too. Use NETWORKDAYS for Monday to Friday only.
DAYS FAQ
How do I calculate the number of days between two dates in Excel?
Use =DAYS(end,start), or simply subtract: =C2-B2. Both give the same number of days.
How do I count only business days between two dates?
Use NETWORKDAYS. It skips Saturdays and Sundays and can skip a list of holidays.
Why does my days-between formula show a date?
The result cell has a date format. Change it to General or Number.
Guides that use DAYS
Related functions
DATEDIFWhole years, months or days betweenNETWORKDAYSWeekdays between datesTODAYToday’s dateEDATESame day, months later
Updated