Date
WEEKDAY
Definition
WEEKDAY returns a number for the day of the week of a date.
Syntax
=WEEKDAY(serial_number, [return_type])
Arguments
| Argument | Meaning |
|---|---|
serial_number |
A date, or the cell holding it. |
return_type |
Optional. 1 numbers Sunday as 1 through Saturday as 7. 2 numbers Monday as 1 through Sunday as 7. If left out, Excel uses 1. |
Worked example
A library logs event dates and wants Monday as 1. The dates are in B2:B4.
| A: Event | B: Date |
|---|---|
| Talk | 8 Mar 2023 |
| Club | 4 Nov 2021 |
| Fair | 20 Oct 2023 |
Formula: =WEEKDAY(B2,2)
Result: 3. 8 March 2023 is a Wednesday, so with Monday as 1 the number is 3.
Practice
Cell A2 holds the date 15 June 2024. In B2, write a formula that returns the weekday of that date with Sunday numbered 1.
- In B2, write a WEEKDAY formula that returns the weekday of A2 with Sunday as 1.
- B2 should show the weekday of A2 with Sunday as 1.
Step 1 of 2
Enter =WEEKDAY(A2,1) in B2.
15 June 2024 is a Saturday, which is 7 when Sunday is 1.
Formulas here use English function names, such as SUM, and a period as the decimal separator, in every language.
Loading the sheet…
B2 uses WEEKDAY.
B2 now shows 7.
Related functions
DAY returns the day of the month, not the weekday. TODAY supplies the current date when you need today's weekday number.
Common mistake
Leaving return_type at 1 when you meant Monday as 1: 8 March 2023 is a Wednesday, so WEEKDAY with 1 returns 4 and WEEKDAY with 2 returns 3.