MS Excel: Working with Date and Time Functions Explained
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
Excel isn’t just for numbers and text — it’s also powerful for working with dates and times. Date and time functions allow you to calculate durations, track deadlines, and organise schedules automatically.
Mastering these functions saves time and reduces errors, especially in finance, project management, and reporting roles.
Common Date Functions
1️⃣ TODAY()
Returns the current date.
=TODAY()
Use it for deadlines, age calculations, or dynamic reporting.
2️⃣ NOW()
Returns the current date and time.
=NOW()
Useful for time-stamped reports or tracking when data was updated.
3️⃣ DATE()
Creates a date from separate year, month, and day values.
=DATE(2026,2,12)
Returns: 12/02/2026
4️⃣ DAY(), MONTH(), YEAR()
Extracts parts of a date.
Example:
=DAY(A1) → returns the day
=MONTH(A1) → returns the month
=YEAR(A1) → returns the year
5️⃣ DATEDIF()
Calculates the difference between two dates.
=DATEDIF(A1,B1,"d")
Returns the number of days between two dates.Other units include "m" for months or "y" for years.
Common Time Functions
1️⃣ HOUR(), MINUTE(), SECOND()
Extract parts of a time value.
=HOUR(B1)
=MINUTE(B1)
=SECOND(B1)
2️⃣ TIME()
Creates a time value from hours, minutes, and seconds.
=TIME(14,30,0)
Returns: 2:30 PM
3️⃣ NOW() (Again)
Returns current date and time — very useful for live dashboards.
Why Date and Time Functions Matter
Date and time functions help you:
✔ Track deadlines and overdue items
✔ Calculate ages or service durations
✔ Generate dynamic reports
✔ Analyse project timelines
✔ Automate scheduling tasks
They reduce manual calculations and make spreadsheets smarter.
Example in Finance
You can automatically calculate overdue invoices:
=TODAY() - DueDate
Conditional formatting can then highlight invoices past their due date.
Final Thoughts
Understanding date and time functions is essential for any Excel user handling schedules, reporting, or financial data. These functions transform static data into dynamic, automated insights.
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