Date
DAYS
Definition
DAYS returns the number of days between two dates.
Syntax
=DAYS(end_date, start_date)
Arguments
| Argument | Meaning |
|---|---|
end_date |
The later date, or the cell holding it. |
start_date |
The earlier date, or the cell holding it. |
Worked example
A ferry timetable counts days from a departure to a return. Dates are typed with DATE.
| A: Trip | B: Depart | C: Return |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 May 2023 | 20 May 2023 |
| Autumn | 20 Oct 2023 | 1 Nov 2023 |
| Winter | 1 Jan 2022 | 11 Jan 2022 |
Formula: =DAYS(DATE(2023,5,20),DATE(2023,5,5))
Result: 15. From 5 May 2023 to 20 May 2023 there are 15 days.
Practice
Cell A2 holds 1 January 2022 and cell B2 holds 11 January 2022. In C2, write a formula that returns the number of days from A2 to B2.
- In C2, write a DAYS formula that returns the days from A2 to B2.
- C2 should show the days from A2 to B2.
Step 1 of 2
Enter =DAYS(B2,A2) in C2.
From 1 January 2022 to 11 January 2022 is 10 days.
Formulas here use English function names, such as SUM, and a period as the decimal separator, in every language.
Loading the sheet…
C2 uses DAYS.
C2 now shows 10.
Related functions
DATEDIF can count complete years or months as well as days. TODAY can be the end date when you want days from a start date through today.
Common mistake
Reversing the arguments the way DATEDIF is written: DAYS needs the end date first, then the start date, so DAYS(C2,B2) is the span from the departure to the return.