Top Date Functions in Google Sheets for 2025 Explained

Vlad Fisun

Creative Writer

Vadym Kramarenko

Growth Marketing Manager

October 14, 2024

Date functions in Google Sheets are essential for managing and manipulating date-related data. These functions simplify tasks such as calculating durations, converting date formats, and automating time-sensitive processes. By mastering date functions, users can streamline workflows, enhance productivity, and gain better control over data analysis.

We will explore key date functions, their syntax, and real-world applications, including functions like DATE, DATEVALUE, DATEDIF and more, covering various categories like Time Functions, Month Functions, Workday Functions, Weekday Functions, Year Functions, and Day Functions.

Mastering these will enhance your productivity and provide greater control over your data analysis.

Why Date Functions are Essential in Google Sheets

Date functions in Google Sheets are essential for effectively handling time-based data, streamlining tasks such as tracking deadlines, managing schedules, and calculating time intervals. They automate manual processes, enabling you to analyze and organize your data with greater precision.

Whether you're calculating due dates, determining workdays, or analyzing trends over time, date functions simplify the management of complex timelines. This automation not only saves time but also reduces the risk of errors, making your spreadsheets more efficient and accurate for decision-making.

Key Benefits of Using Date Functions

Understanding the key benefits of using date functions in Google Sheets can greatly enhance your ability to manage time-sensitive data efficiently and accurately. Here are some of the most significant advantages these functions offer:

Automate Date Calculations: Functions like DATE, DATEDIF, and EDATE eliminate the need for manual date calculations. Instantly calculate time differences or add/subtract months and days from any date with ease.
Simplify Time-Dependent Data Analysis: Date functions let you extract parts of date (day, month, year) to analyze trends or performance, especially useful in sales and seasonal patterns analysis.
Date Formatting and Conversion: Functions like DATEVALUE and EPOCHTODATE convert various date formats into a unified system, ensuring consistency across datasets from different sources.
Accurate Time Intervals: Automate the calculation of time intervals like age, project milestones, or event durations with DATEDIF for precision and time-saving.

Applications of Date Functions

Date functions in Google Sheets are versatile tools that can be applied across various industries and tasks, streamlining processes and enhancing data analysis. Here are some key applications of date functions in different fields:

Project Management: Automatically track deadlines and milestones by calculating dates or intervals, ensuring you stay on top of project timelines.
Financial Reporting: Use date functions to monitor spending patterns, sales trends, and forecasts, providing dynamic insights for financial analysis.
Human Resources: Calculate employee tenure or work anniversaries using functions like DATEDIF or DATE, streamlining HR tracking and reporting.
Sales & Marketing: Analyze seasonal trends by extracting the month or day with functions like MONTH or DAY, helping you optimize marketing campaigns and sales strategies.

What’s Next?

In this article, we’ll cover essential date functions like DATE, DATEVALUE, DATEDIF, EDATE, and EPOCHTODATE. Future articles will explore more advanced date functions to help streamline complex workflows. Stay tuned!

Understanding Essential Date Functions in Google Sheets (Syntax and Examples)

This section covers essential date functions in Google Sheets, including their syntax and practical examples. By mastering functions like DATE, DATEDIF, and EDATE, you can efficiently manage and analyze time-sensitive data.

DATE Function

The DATE function in Google Sheets allows you to create and manipulate date values for various tasks, such as tracking timelines or calculating durations.

When using the DATE function, it’s important to understand two key concepts:

Regional Date Formatting, which affects how dates are displayed based on your location.
Dates in Formulas, which allows you to easily incorporate dates into calculations for greater flexibility and accuracy in your workflows.

Syntax of DATE Function

The syntax of the DATE function in Google Sheets is:

=DATE(year, month, day)

Let's break down what these parameters represent:

year: The year component of the date.
month: The month component of the date.
day: The day component of the date.

Each of these arguments is required to create a valid date.

Example of DATE Function

Let's say, we have a list of employees and their respective hire dates, broken down by year, month, and day in separate columns (D, E, and F). The DATE function is used to combine these components into a full date in column H.

Formula explanation:

=DATE(D3, E3, F3)

D3: Refers to the “Hire year.”
E3: Refers to the “Hire month.”
F3: Refers to the “Hire day.”

The DATE function combines these components into the format MM/DD/YYYY for each employee in the list. For Mark Hamill, the resulting date is 01/03/2020.

DATEVALUE Function

The DATEVALUE function in Google Sheets converts text strings representing dates into actual date values. This function is useful when handling inconsistent date formats, ensuring dates are recognized correctly for calculations and analysis.

Syntax of DATEVALUE Function

The DATEVALUE function in Google Sheets takes a single argument, a date in text format, and converts it into a serial number representing the date.

=DATEVALUE(date_text)

Here's a breakdown:

date_text: The text string representing a date that you want to convert into a date value. The text should follow a recognizable date format, such as "MM/DD/YYYY" or "YYYY-MM-DD".

Example of DATEVALUE Function

Suppose we need to find respective hire dates in column D, displayed in text format (e.g., 01/15/2025). The DATEVALUE function converts this text string into a serial number and then into a valid date format.

Apply this formula:

=DATEVALUE(D3)

Let's break it down:

D3: Refers to the “Hire” date in text format.

The DATEVALUE function converts this text-based date into a serial number that Google Sheets recognizes as a valid date. When formatted as a date, the result is displayed in the MM/DD/YYYY format. For Mark Hamill, the resulting date is 01/15/2025.

Accepted formats include any standard date format that Google Sheets automatically converts when entered without quotation marks. However, recognized formats can vary depending on your region and language settings.

Ensure that the result cells in column I are formatted as Date to properly display the output.

DATEDIF Function

The DATEDIF function in Google Sheets is a versatile tool used to calculate the difference between two dates, providing results in days, months, or years, ideal for tracking durations and deadlines.

Syntax of DATEDIF Function

The syntax of the DATEDIF function in Google Sheets is as follows:

=DATEDIF(start_date, end_date, unit)

start_date: The starting date for the calculation.
end_date: The ending date for the calculation.
unit: The type of result you want (e.g., "Y" for years, "M" for months, "D" for days).

Example of DATEDIF Function

To calculate the number of employment days for each employee based on their hire date and today’s date, you can use the DATEDIF function in Google Sheets.

Here's an example formula:

=DATEDIF(D3, TODAY(), "D")

Let's explain:

D3: Refers to the “Hire” date of the employee (e.g., Mark Hamill's hire date).
TODAY(): Returns the current date.
"D": Specifies that the difference should be in days.

For Mark Hamill, this formula will calculate the total number of days he has been employed from his hire date until today. You can apply this formula to the rest of the rows to calculate the employment days for all employees in your list.

EDATE Function

The EDATE function is a powerful tool used to add or subtract a specified number of months to a given date. It’s handy for calculating future or past dates in project management, billing cycles, or planning events.

The function returns a date that is a specified number of months away from the input date, simplifying time-based calculations.

Syntax of EDATE Function

Here is the syntax of the EDATE function:

=EDATE(start_date, months)

start_date: The initial date from which you want to add or subtract months. This can be a reference to a cell containing a date, a date entered in the formula, or a function returning a date.
months: The number of months to add (positive value) or subtract (negative value) from the start_date.

Example of EDATE Function

Let's say we want to calculate the next review date for each employee, which is set to occur exactly 6 months after their last promotion date.

Let's use the EDATE function to calculate this by adding 6 months to the “Last Promotion” date:

=EDATE(E3, 6)

Let's break it down:

E3: Refers to the “Last Promotion” date for Mark Hamill (03/01/2022).
6: Adds 6 months to the date.

For Mark Hamill, the result would be 09/01/2022. Apply this formula down the column to calculate the next review dates for all employees.

EPOCHTODATE Function

The EPOCHTODATE function converts Unix timestamps, or epoch time, into a readable date format. Epoch time represents the number of seconds that have passed since January 1, 1970 (also known as the Unix epoch), a common format used in programming. This function is especially useful when working with datasets from systems or applications that store dates as Unix timestamps.

Syntax of EPOCHTODATE

Here is the syntax of the EPOCHTODATE function:

=EPOCHTODATE(seconds, time_zone_offset)

Let's explain:

seconds: The Unix timestamp (the number of seconds since January 1, 1970).
time_zone_offset (optional): The difference in hours between your local time and UTC. If omitted, it defaults to the local time.

Example of EPOCHTODATE Function

Let's convert the hire date of employees from the table into a Unix timestamp, also known as epoch time.

We will use the following formula:

=(D3 - DATE(1970,1,1)) * 86400

D3: Refers to the “Hire” date (e.g., 01/15/2020 for Mark Hamill).
DATE(1970,1,1): This function generates the epoch starting point, which is January 1, 1970.
(C3 - DATE(1970,1,1)): This part calculates the number of days between the hire date and January 1, 1970.
* 86400: This converts the days into seconds by multiplying by 86400 (the number of seconds in a day).

For Mark Hamill, the hire date is 01/15/2020. Using the formula above, the result would be 1579046400, which represents this date in Unix time.

To convert the Unix time into a regular format of date, we can use the following formula:

=EPOCHTODATE(E3)

This practical example showcases how date-related functions in Google Sheets can be used not only to work with standard calendar dates, but also to convert them into formats such as Unix timestamps for specialized use cases.

Master Date Functions with This Ready-to-use Template!

This downloadable file includes every example and formula from the article, making it easy for you to practice and implement DATE, DATEDIF, EDATE, and other functions in your own projects. Download, explore, and start mastering date-related functions in Google Sheets with ease!

Get your free template now!

Practical Examples of Using DATE and Other Related Functions in Google Sheets

In this section, we explore practical uses of date functions in Google Sheets, such as calculating days until a future date, converting text to dates, counting days or months between dates, and more.

Using the DATE Function to Calculate Days Until a Future Date

To calculate the number of days until a future date using the DATE function, you subtract the current date from the future date. This helps in tracking deadlines or important events.

Let’s say we want to calculate how many days are left until each employee's contract end date based on the current date.

Here's the formula:

=DATE(D3, E3, F3) - TODAY()

Here's the explanation:

DATE(D3, E3, F3): This uses the DATE function to create a future date.
TODAY(): Returns the current date.

By subtracting TODAY from the future date, the formula will give the number of days left until the specified future date.

Converting Text Strings into a Date with the DATE Function

You can convert text strings representing year, month, and day into a valid date using the DATE function. By inputting these components as arguments, DATE(year, month, day) converts them into a valid date format for easier calculations.

Suppose we have the "End Year," "End Month," and "End Day" listed in separate columns for each employee. We will use the DATE function to combine these components into a single "End Date".

Let's apply:

=DATE(D3, E3, F3)

Let's explain:

D3: Refers to the "End Year".
E3: Refers to the "End Month".
F3: Refers to the "End Day".

The DATE function combines these components to produce a valid date in the format MM/DD/YYYY.

This method helps convert multiple text strings into a proper date format, making it easier for further analysis or calculations.

Using DATEVALUE for Month and Day Only

The DATEVALUE function in Google Sheets is designed to convert text strings representing dates into a recognizable date format. A common use case is when you have only the month and day available but need to use the current year to form a complete date.

In this example, we have a column containing various "Last Promotion" dates, some of which are formatted without a year and in different text formats. We will use the DATEVALUE function to ensure all entries are converted to valid date values, using the current year when the year is missing.Let's apply the following formula:

=DATEVALUE(E3)

Formula breakdown:

DATEVALUE(E3): This function converts the text string in cell E3 into a valid date format, using the current year when only the day and month are present.

Here's the explanation:

In cell E3, the date is provided as "03/01" (March 1st). Since the year is missing, the DATEVALUE function will automatically assume the current year, converting it into "03/01/2024."
Similarly, cell E6 ("December 10") and E8 ("15 August") are recognized correctly and converted to dates using the current year.
However, note that in cell E10, where the date is written as "October 5th," the DATEVALUE function will return a #VALUE! error because it cannot interpret this type of date format.

The DATEVALUE function is quite handy when working with incomplete date data. By assuming the current year, it simplifies data entry and ensures consistent date formatting. However, it's important to maintain a recognizable format for the function to work correctly.

This is especially useful when cleaning up text-formatted date inputs or ensuring consistency across datasets with missing year values.

Counting the Number of Days Between Two Dates with DATEDIF

We can use the DATEDIF function to calculate the number of days between the hire date and the contract end date for each employee. The "D" unit in the function stands for days, meaning the result will be the number of days between the two dates.

Let's apply this formula:

=DATEDIF(D3, E3, "D")

Formula breakdown:

D3: Refers to the "Hire" date.
E3: Refers to the "Contract End" date.
"D": Specifies that we want the difference in days.

This approach lets you quickly calculate the duration of contracts using the DATEDIF function.

Counting Months Between Two Dates with DATEDIF

We can use the DATEDIF function to calculate the months between the hire date and the last promotion date for each employee. The "M" unit in the function stands for months, meaning the result will be the total months between the two dates.

Let's use the formula:

=DATEDIF(D3, F3, "M")

Formula breakdown:

D3: Refers to the “Hire” date.
F3: Refers to the "Last Promotion" date.
"M": Specifies that we want the difference in months.

This will give you the correct number of months between the "Hire” date and the "Last Promotion" date for each employee.

Using EDATE to Calculate a Number of Days in a Month

To calculate the exact number of days in a given month using the EDATE function, we can compute the difference between the first day of the following month and the first day of the current month.

Here's an example using the “Hire” date from our employees' table. We'll use the EDATE function to find the date of the next month, and then subtract the current month’s start date to get the number of days in the current month.

Let's apply this formula:

=EDATE(D3, 1) - D3

Formula breakdown:

D3: Refers to the ‘Hire” date.
EDATE(D3, 1): This moves the date in D3 one month forward.

By subtracting the current date in D3 from the next month's date, we can calculate the number of days between the dates, which represents the number of days in the hire month.

Converting a Timestamp to a Readable Date Using EPOCHTODATE

The EPOCHTODATE function allows you to convert Unix timestamps (the number of seconds or milliseconds since January 1, 1970) into a readable date format in Google Sheets.

For example, let's convert the Unix timestamp in column E into a specific date using milliseconds as the time unit. Let's use the following formula:

=EPOCHTODATE(E3, 2)

Here's the breakdown:

E3: This refers to the cell containing the Unix timestamp.
2: This value indicates that the timestamp is in milliseconds. The second parameter in EPOCHTODATE determines the unit of time for the timestamp.

This formula converts the Unix timestamp into a human-readable date. The second argument in the EPOCHTODATE function defines the time unit:

1 for seconds
2 for milliseconds (as in our example)
3 for microseconds

This method is useful when handling large datasets with timestamps, especially for tracking historical data or records from different systems.

Advanced Techniques to Use Date-related Functions

Master advanced date-related functions to streamline employee management. Learn techniques like DATEVALUE for timesheets, advanced DATEDIF calculations, month calculations with EDATE, and more. Elevate your Google Sheets efficiency with these powerful tools!

Using the DATEVALUE Function in Employee Timesheets

Let's apply the DATEVALUE function to employee timesheets to calculate the total time worked between clock-in and clock-out times, converting the text-based date and time entries into numeric values for calculation.

For this, let's use the formula:

=((DATEVALUE(E4)+TIMEVALUE(F4)-(DATEVALUE(E3)+TIMEVALUE(F3)))*24)

Here's the breakdown:

DATEVALUE(E4): Converts the clock-out date into a numeric date value.
TIMEVALUE(F4): Converts the clock-out time into a numeric time value.
DATEVALUE(E3): Converts the clock-in date into a numeric date value.
TIMEVALUE(F3): Converts the clock-in time into a numeric time value.

The clock-out time is subtracted from the clock-in time to calculate the time worked. The result is multiplied by 24 to convert the time from days to hours.

The formula calculates the number of hours worked between the clock-in and clock-out times. This method helps efficiently track employee working hours using text-based dates and times in the timesheet.

Using DATEDIF with Conditional Formatting in Google Sheets

Using DATEDIF with conditional formatting in Google Sheets allows you to easily track task completion times. For instance, you can apply conditional formatting to highlight cells when the number of days passed exceeds a specific value, visually indicating overdue tasks.

Let's say, Daisy Ridley has a series of scenes to film, and each scene requires a voice-over within a week of its filming date. We use the DATEDIF function to calculate how many days have passed since each filming date and apply conditional formatting to keep track of deadlines for the voice-over tasks.

Let's apply the following formula:

=DATEDIF(E3, TODAY(), "D")

Here's the breakdown:

E3: This is the cell containing the filming date.
TODAY(): This function dynamically retrieves today's date.
"D": This indicates that the function should return the difference in days between the two dates.

The formula calculates how many days have passed since the filming date for the first scene. The same calculation is done for each subsequent row.

As the number of days increases, the spreadsheet can be set to highlight cells that are approaching the voice-over deadline with conditional formatting.

For this, highlight the "Voice-over" cells, go to "Format > Conditional Formatting" and set the rules.

The DATEDIF function combined with conditional formatting can help prioritize tasks and meet deadlines effectively.

Calculating Days Ignoring Years Using DATEDIF

In some cases, you may need to calculate the number of days between two dates while ignoring the year component. This can be especially useful for tracking recurring events such as anniversaries or birthdays, where the day and month are important, but the year is irrelevant.

The DATEDIF function can be used with a specific unit to calculate the difference in days between two dates, while ignoring the year.

Suppose you want to calculate the number of days between the “Hire” date and today's date, but you want to ignore the year part. For this, we can use the DATEDIF function with the "YD" unit, which calculates the difference in days while ignoring the year.

Let's use the following formula:

=DATEDIF(D3, TODAY(), "YD")

Here's the breakdown:

D3: This is the cell that contains the “Hire” date (e.g., 01/15/2020 for Mark Hamill).
TODAY(): This function dynamically retrieves today's date.
"YD": This specifies that the difference should be calculated in days, ignoring the year component of the dates.

Using the DATEDIF function with the "YD" unit is quite useful for tracking events or milestones that occur annually but need to be calculated daily.

Find Days Excluding Years and Months Using DATEDIF

There are situations where you may need to find the exact number of days between two dates, excluding both years and months. The DATEDIF function can help you achieve this by calculating the difference between two dates based solely on the remaining days, after subtracting full years and months.

This calculation is particularly helpful when you want to understand the leftover days after accounting for complete years and months in the period between two dates.

Let's suppose we have a list of contractors, and we need to calculate how many days are left until the next payment is due each month. We can link this to the first payment date and calculate the remaining days in the current month until that payment date.

Let's use this formula:

=DATEDIF(F3, TODAY(), "MD")

Here's the breakdown:

E3: This is the cell containing the “First Payment” date.
TODAY(): This retrieves the current date.
"MD": This option calculates the difference in days between today and the next occurrence of the monthly payment date.

This approach allows you to track upcoming payments for employees based on the first payment date and calculates the remaining days until the next payment is due for each individual.

Calculating Employee Tenure in Years, Months, and Days with DATEDIF

The DATEDIF function in Google Sheets can be used to calculate the tenure of an employee by breaking it down into years, months, and days. This function allows you to specify the interval type (years, months, or days) and return the exact difference between two dates.

To calculate employee tenure in years, months, and days using the DATEDIF function, use "Y" for complete years, "YM" for remaining months after complete years, and "MD" for remaining days after complete years and months; combining these three formulas allows for an accurate breakdown of the total tenure.

Let's apply the formula accordingly:

=DATEDIF(D3, TODAY(), unit)

Let's break it down:

D3: This is the cell containing the “Hire” date.
TODAY(): This retrieves the current date.
unit: This specifies the unit of the calculation.

"Y" calculates the total number of complete years between the Hire date and today.

"YM" calculates the remaining months after the complete years have been deducted.

"MD" calculates the remaining days after the complete years and months have been deducted.

By using these units together, you can calculate the employee’s full tenure, including the number of years, months, and days they've been with the company.

Using EDATE for Leap Year Adjustments

The EDATE function is used to add or subtract months from a given date, making it especially useful for handling month-based calculations, like project deadlines, payment due dates, or contract end dates.

What makes EDATE special is its ability to account for leap years and varying month lengths automatically.

In this example, we will add 1 month to two different dates, one in a leap year and one in a non-leap year. We'll see how EDATE adjusts for leap years while keeping calculations consistent.

Let’s use the following formula here:

=EDATE(C3, 1)

Breakdown of the formula:

EDATE(start_date, months): The function to add a specific number of months to a date.
C3: These represent dates in a non-leap year (2023).
1: This indicates that we are adding 1 month to each date.

What happens?

Adding 1 month to February 15, 2023, returns March 15, 2023.
Adding 1 month to February 15, 2024 (a leap year) also returns March 15, 2024.

Even though 2024 has an extra day in February (29 days), EDATE is designed to handle leap years automatically. This means that when you add a month to February 15, 2024, it knows that there are 29 days in February, but still returns March 15, 2024, to keep month-based calculations consistent.

The EDATE function is particularly useful when you’re working with recurring monthly calculations – such as billing cycles, subscriptions, or scheduling – because it ensures that your results are accurate, even when a leap year or varying month lengths are involved. No manual adjustments are needed to account for these variations.

Combining DATE and Other Related Google Sheets Functions

Mastering Google Sheets becomes easier when you understand how to combine the DATE function with others like TODAY, DATEDIF, TEXT, and DATEVALUE. From calculating age and workdays to extracting and formatting dates, these techniques streamline complex calculations and allow for dynamic date management in any spreadsheet.

Using DATE and TODAY with DAYS Function

Using the DATE and TODAY functions with the DAYS function allows you to calculate the number of days between two dates easily.

Suppose we want to calculate the remaining days until an employee's contract ends, starting from the beginning of the current year.

Let's use the formula:

=DAYS(E3, DATE(YEAR(TODAY()), 1, 1))

Here's the breakdown:

E3: This contains the “Contract end” date for the employee.
DATE(YEAR(TODAY()), 1, 1): This gives the date of the beginning of the current year.

This will calculate the remaining days between the date of the beginning of the current year and the contract end date for the employee.

Using DATE with WEEKDAY and IF Functions

The WEEKDAY function is used to determine the day of the week for a specific date, returning a number between 1 and 7, where 1 usually represents Sunday and 7 represents Saturday (this can be adjusted based on the chosen mode). By using DATE with WEEKDAY and IF functions, you can find out what day of the week a specific date falls on, including today's date.

Suppose we need to determine whether the contract end day falls on a weekend (Saturday or Sunday) when the office may be closed. For this, you can use the WEEKDAY function in combination with conditional logic.

So, to check if the contract end day falls on a weekend, you can use the following formula:

=IF(OR(WEEKDAY(DATE(D3, E3, F3))=1, WEEKDAY(DATE(D3, E3, F3))=7), "Weekend", "Weekday")

Here's the breakdown:

WEEKDAY(DATE(D3, E3, F3): This checks the day of the week for the contract end date.
IF(): This logical function returns "Weekend" if the WEEKDAY() result is 1 (Sunday) or 7 (Saturday), otherwise, it returns "Weekday".
OR(): This is used to check if the WEEKDAY() is either 1 or 7, i.e., if the contract end date is on the weekend.

This allows us to determine if we need to adjust any contract-ending logistics based on whether the date falls on a weekend or not.

Using DATE with TEXT Function

The TEXT function in Google Sheets allows you to format a date into a specific text format of your choice. This can be useful when you need to display dates in different formats or extract specific parts of the date, such as the month, day, or year as text.

Let’s say you want to display the contract end date in a specific format, such as "Day Month, Year".

Apply this formula:

=TEXT(E3, "DD MMMM, YYYY")

Let's explain:

E3: This refers to the cell that contains the date you want to format (in this case, the contract end date).
"DD MMMM, YYYY": This is the custom format where, "MMMM" returns the full month name, "DD" returns the day of the month, "YYYY" returns the year as four digits.

This can be helpful if you need to prepare a report or email that requires a user-friendly date format, making it more readable for non-technical users.

Using DATEVALUE with IF Function

The DATEVALUE function converts a date stored as text into a serial number that Google Sheets recognizes as a date. This is useful when working with dates in text form, that need to be converted to an actual date for calculations.

The IF function is used to apply conditional logic: it tests a condition and returns one value if the condition is true and another value if it's false. Combining DATEVALUE with IF, allows you to evaluate conditions based on dates stored as text and apply different actions based on those conditions.

Let's assume you want to check whether an employee's contract end date (stored as text) has already passed. If the contract end date has passed, you want the cell to show "Expired"; otherwise, it should show "Active".

Use the formula:

=IF(DATEVALUE(E3) < TODAY(), "Expired", "Active")

Formula breakdown:

DATEVALUE(E3): This converts the text in cell E3 into a date serial number.
< TODAY(): This logical test checks whether the contract end date is earlier than today (i.e., whether the contract has already expired).
"Expired": If the condition is true (the contract end date is in the past), this value will be returned.
"Active": If the condition is false (the contract end date is in the future), this value will be returned.

This approach is helpful in scenarios like tracking project deadlines, subscription expirations, employee contract statuses, and more.

By combining DATEVALUE with IF, you can create dynamic status indicators that automatically update based on the date, improving the accuracy and efficiency of your work.

Extracting and Formatting Dates from a String with DATEVALUE and MID Functions

In Google Sheets, you can use the DATEVALUE and MID functions to extract and format dates embedded within text strings. This is useful when dates are stored within longer strings of text and need to be converted into a proper date format for calculations or analysis.

Suppose we have a list of employees with their hiring information presented as a string, such as "Hired on: YYYY-MM-DD". We need to extract the actual date from this string and convert it into a date format that Google Sheets can recognize for further use, such as calculations or reporting.

Apply this formula:

=DATEVALUE(MID(D3, 10, 10))

Let's break it down:

MID(D3, 10, 10): This function extracts a substring from the text in cell D3, starting at the 10th character and spanning 10 characters. For example, from the string "Hired on: 2019-12-29", it extracts "2019-12-29".
DATEVALUE(): This function converts the extracted substring (which is still a text string) into a date format that Google Sheets recognizes.

This method is extremely useful when handling text data that contains dates embedded within it.

Using DATEDIF with ARRAYFORMULA For Multiple Dates Calculations

DATEDIF is typically used to calculate the difference between two dates. When combined with ARRAYFORMULA, you can apply the DATEDIF formula to an entire column or range of dates instead of calculating the difference for each individual row manually.

Let's say you have a list of employees with their hire dates, and you want to calculate the number of days they have been employed until today for all employees in one formula, instead of using DATEDIF separately for each row.

For this, let's use:

=ARRAYFORMULA(DATEDIF(D3:D12, TODAY(), "D"))

Let's break it down:

ARRAYFORMULA: This allows the formula to apply across a range of cells.
DATEDIF(D3:D12, TODAY(), "D"): The DATEDIF function calculates the number of days ("D") between the hire dates in column D and today's date.

Using ARRAYFORMULA combined with DATEDIF allows you to efficiently calculate the number of days employed for multiple employees at once. This technique saves time, especially when dealing with large datasets, and automates the calculation across the entire range of dates.

Troubleshooting Typical Errors in Date Functions

Errors in date functions like DATE, DATEVALUE, DATEDIF, EDATE, and EPOCHTODATE often stem from invalid inputs, missing data, or incorrect references. Common issues include #VALUE!, #N/A, #NUM!, #REF!, and #NAME? errors, each requiring specific fixes. This section provides quick solutions to help you identify and resolve these errors, ensuring smooth data processing.

#VALUE! Error

⚠️ Error: The #VALUE! error occurs in functions like DATE, DATEVALUE, DATEDIF, EDATE, EPOCHTODATE, NOW, or TODAY when they encounter invalid date inputs or incompatible data types, such as text instead of dates. This error is also triggered when incorrect formatting or non-date data is used in calculations.

✅ Solution: Check that all date references are formatted as valid dates. If you're working with text strings that should be dates, use DATEVALUE() to convert them properly. Ensure that calculations referencing date cells involve actual date data.

#N/A Error

⚠️ Error: The #N/A error occurs in DATE and DATEVALUE functions when the formula cannot locate the necessary data or references a range that does not exist. This often happens when trying to extract or calculate dates from a dataset where the values are missing or incorrectly specified.

✅ Solution: Ensure that all referenced data exists and is within the expected range. To manage missing data, use IFERROR() to handle errors more smoothly, returning a more appropriate result.

#NUM! Error

⚠️ Error: The #NUM! error appears in DATE, DATEVALUE, DATEDIF, EDATE, EPOCHTODATE, or TODAY when an invalid or out-of-range numeric value is passed to the function. This includes negative numbers where they are not allowed, or date calculations that result in unrealistic or impossible values.

✅ Solution: Review the formula’s numeric inputs and ensure that they are within valid ranges. Adjust any calculations to prevent passing negative or inappropriate values into the date functions.

#REF! Error

⚠️ Error: The #REF! error occurs in DATE, DATEVALUE, and TODAY functions when a referenced cell is deleted or the formula references an invalid or non-existent range. This happens when cells referenced in the formula have been removed, moved, or altered.

✅ Solution: Update the formula with valid cell references. Ensure that no rows, columns, or cells referenced by the formula have been deleted or moved.

#NAME? Error

⚠️ Error: The #NAME? error appears in DATEVALUE, DATEDIF, EDATE, and TODAY functions when there is a typo in the function name or when Google Sheets does not recognize the function. This often occurs when the function is spelled incorrectly or when the syntax is not supported.

✅ Solution: Double-check the spelling and syntax of the function. Ensure that all function names are typed correctly and supported by Google Sheets.

Best Practices to Follow When Using Date-related Functions

When working with date-related functions in Google Sheets, there are several best practices to keep in mind. These ensure your calculations are accurate, your data remains dynamic, and you avoid common pitfalls like errors in formatting or recalculation. Below are some essential practices to enhance your efficiency with date-related functions.

Use Cell References for Dynamic Calculations

Using cell references instead of hard-coding dates or values directly into your formulas makes your calculations dynamic. This allows your spreadsheet to automatically adjust if the referenced date changes. For example, instead of typing "01/01/2024", refer to a cell like A1, so your formulas update automatically when you modify the date in A1.

Double-Check Input Formats and Units

Ensuring the correct input format for dates is critical to avoid #VALUE! or #NUM! errors. Make sure your dates are formatted correctly and that you're using the appropriate units for calculations (e.g., years, months, or days).

Misformatted dates or improper units can lead to incorrect outputs or errors in your calculations.

Experiment with Different Date Formats with EPOCHTODATE

The EPOCHTODATE function allows you to convert UNIX timestamps into more readable date formats. When working with this function, experiment with different formatting styles to ensure the dates appear in the format that best suits your needs. Adjust the display format using TEXT() to further customize the output for reports or presentations.

Advanced Data Functions in Google Sheets for Powerful Analysis

Unlock the full potential of Google Sheets with essential functions designed for in-depth data analysis. These advanced formulas streamline complex tasks, helping you manage large datasets, automate workflows, and derive actionable insights with ease.

VLOOKUP: Searches for a value in the first column of a range and returns a corresponding value from another column, simplifying cross-referencing tasks.
UNIQUE: Removes duplicates, providing a list of distinct values for cleaner analysis.
PIVOT: Automatically summarizes data with pivot tables, helping you report and visualize trends effortlessly.
IMPORTRANGE: Imports data from external Google Sheets, consolidating multiple sources into one.
MATCH: Finds the position of a value within a range, useful for dynamic lookups when combined with other functions.
COUNTA: Counts non-empty cells in a range, giving a quick overview of your dataset’s size.
AVERAGE: Calculates the mean of a set of numbers, highlighting central trends in your data.

Each of these functions empowers users to navigate and manage large datasets with efficiency, transforming raw data into actionable insights.

Effortlessly Visualize Your Data with OWOX: Reports, Charts & Pivots Extension

With the OWOX: Reports, Charts and Pivot extension, you can seamlessly import BigQuery data straight into Google Sheets. Say goodbye to manual data transfers and import hassles. This powerful tool equips you with everything you need to manage numbers efficiently and make data-driven decisions with ease!