How to use the NETWORKDAYS function
The NETWORKDAYS function returns the number of working days between two dates, excluding weekends. It also allows you to ignore a list of holiday dates that you can specify.
Formula in cell D3:
What is the difference between the NETWORKDAYS.INTL function and the NETWORKDAYS function?
The NETWORKDAYS.INTL function lets you use custom weekend parameters. Actually they don't have to be a week end day, it can be a weekday also. This makes it really versatile for all sorts of calculations like how many mondays are there between a given start and end date.
Related functions
| Excel Function | Description |
|---|---|
| NETWORKDAYS.INTL(start_date, end_date, weekend) | Returns the number of workdays between two dates, excluding custom weekend parameters |
| NETWORKDAYS(start_date, end_date) | Returns the number of workdays between two dates, excluding weekends |
| WORKDAY(start_date, days) | Returns a date adjusted by a number of workdays, excluding weekends |
| DATEDIF(start_date, end_date, unit) | Calculates the time between two dates in specified units like years, months, days |
| DAYS(end_date, start_date) | Returns the number of days between two specified dates |
Table of Contents
1. NETWORKDAYS Function Syntax
NETWORKDAYS(start_date, end_date, [holidays])
2. NETWORKDAYS Function Arguments
| start_date | Required. The start date you want to use in the function. |
| end_date | Required. The end date you want to use. |
| [holidays] | Optional. Excludes this list of dates from being counted. |
3. NETWORKDAYS Function example
The formula in cell K6 counts weekdays (Monday to Friday) between two dates.
Formula in cell K6:
3.1 Explaining formula
Step 1 - NETWORKDAYS function
The NETWORKDAYS function returns the number of working days between two dates, excluding weekends. It also allows you to ignore a list of holiday dates that you can specify.
NETWORKDAYS(start_date, end_date, [holidays])
Step 2 - Populate arguments
The NETWORKDAYS function has three arguments, the third is optional.
start_date - K3
end_date - K4
[holidays] - Not used here
Step 3 - Evaluate NETWORKDAYS function
NETWORKDAYS(K3, K4)
becomes
NETWORKDAYS(44631, 44648)
and returns 12.
4. Create a list of weekdays only
This example demonstrates how to extract a list of weekdays (Monday to Friday) or networking days. The formula in cell J7 uses the two dates specified in cells K3 and K4 to create a list of weekdays.
Excel 365 formula:
Explaining formula
This formula is a dynamic array formula and works only in Excel 365, it is entered as a regular formula
Step 1 - Calculate days between dates and add one
The minus and plus signs let you perform arithmetic operations in an Excel formula.
K4-K3+1
becomes
44648-44631+1
equals 18.
Step 2 - Create a sequence of numbers from 0 (zero) to 18
The SEQUENCE function creates a list of sequential numbers to a cell range or array. It is located in the Math and trigonometry category and is only available to Excel 365 subscribers.
SEQUENCE(rows, [columns], [start], [step])
SEQUENCE(K4-K3+1,,0)
becomes
SEQUENCE(18,,0)
and returns
{0; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12; 13; 14; 15; 16; 17}.
Step 3 - Add start date to sequence of numbers
SEQUENCE(K4-K3+1,,0)+K3
becomes
{0; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12; 13; 14; 15; 16; 17} + 44631
and returns
{44631; 44632; 44633; 44634; 44635; 44636; 44637; 44638; 44639; 44640; 44641; 44642; 44643; 44644; 44645; 44646; 44647; 44648}.
Step 4 - Calculate WEEKDAY number
WEEKDAY(SEQUENCE(K4-K3+1,,0)+K3,1)
becomes
WEEKDAY({44631; 44632; 44633; 44634; 44635; 44636; 44637; 44638; 44639; 44640; 44641; 44642; 44643; 44644; 44645; 44646; 44647; 44648},1)
and returns
{6; 7; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 1; 2}.
Step 5 - Check if weekday number is smaller than 7
Seven is the last weekday in a week and it represents Saturday if the second argument is one. The smaller than character lets you compare values, the result is a boolean value TRUE or FALSE.
WEEKDAY(SEQUENCE(K4-K3+1,,0)+K3,1)<7
becomes
{6; 7; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 1; 2}<7
and returns
{TRUE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE}.
Step 6 - Check if weekday numbers are larger than one
One represents Sunday and we want to identify dates thare equal to Monday to Friday, in other words, networkingdays.
WEEKDAY(SEQUENCE(K4-K3+1,,0)+K3,1)>1
becomes
{6; 7; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 1; 2}>1
and returns
{TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; TRUE}.
Step 7 - Multiply arrays
Both values on the same position in the arrays must return TRUE meaning we need to perform AND-logic. The asterisk lets us multiply values in an Excel formula.
TRUE * TRUE = 1
TRUE * FALSE = 0 (zero)
FALSE * FALSE = 0 (zero)
Boolean values have numerical equivalents, TRUE is equal to 1 and FALSE is equal to 0 (zero).
(WEEKDAY(SEQUENCE(K4-K3+1,,0)+K3,1)<7)*(WEEKDAY(SEQUENCE(K4-K3+1,,0)+K3,1)>1)
becomes
{TRUE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE} * {TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; TRUE}
and returns
{1; 0; 0; 1; 1; 1; 1; 1; 0; 0; 1; 1; 1; 1; 1; 0; 0; 1}.
Step 8 - Filter dates based on conditions
The FILTER function is a new function available to Excel 365 subscribers. It lets you extract values based on a condition or criteria.
FILTER(array, include, [if_empty])
FILTER(SEQUENCE(K4-K3+1,,0)+K3,(WEEKDAY(SEQUENCE(K4-K3+1,,0)+K3,1)<7)*(WEEKDAY(SEQUENCE(K4-K3+1,,0)+K3,1)>1))
becomes
FILTER({44631; 44632; 44633; 44634; 44635; 44636; 44637; 44638; 44639; 44640; 44641; 44642; 44643; 44644; 44645; 44646; 44647; 44648},{1; 0; 0; 1; 1; 1; 1; 1; 0; 0; 1; 1; 1; 1; 1; 0; 0; 1})
and returns
{44631; 44634; 44635; 44636; 44637; 44638; 44641; 44642; 44643; 44644; 44645; 44648}.
Step 9 - Shorten formula
The LET function allows you to name intermediate calculation results which can shorten formulas considerably and improve performance.
LET(name1, name_value1, calculation_or_name2, [name_value2, calculation_or_name3...])
x - SEQUENCE(K4-K3+1, , 0)+K3
y - WEEKDAY(x, 1)
LET(x, SEQUENCE(K4-K3+1, , 0)+K3, y, WEEKDAY(x, 1), COUNT(FILTER(x, (y<7)*(y>1))))
5. Count weekdays in a month
Formula in cell K6:
Explaining formula
Steps 1 to 3 calculate the first date of the specified month in cell K3. Steps 4 to 6 calculate the last date in the specified month.
Step 1 - Calculate year based on date
The YEAR function returns a number representing the year from a given date.
YEAR(date)
YEAR(K3)
becomes
YEAR(44631)
and returns 2022.
Step 2 - Calculate month based on date
The MONTH function returns a number representing the month from a given date.
MONTH(date)
MONTH(K3)
becomes
MONTH(44631)
and returns 3.
Step 3 - Calculate first date based on year and month
The DATE function returns an Excel date based on a year, month, and day number.
DATE(year, month, day)
DATE(YEAR(K3), MONTH(K3), 1)
becomes
DATE(2022, 3, 1)
and returns 44621. (3/1/2022)
Step 4 - Calculate year based on the date
YEAR(K3)
becomes
YEAR(44631)
and returns 2022.
Step 5 - Calculate year based on month
MONTH(K3)+1
becomes
MONTH(44631)+1
and returns 4.
Step 6 - Calculate the last date based on year and month
DATE(YEAR(K3),MONTH(K3)+1,1)-1
becomes
DATE(2022, 4, 1)-1
becomes
44652-1
and returns 44651. (3/31/2022)
Step 7 - Calculate the number of days between two dates
NETWORKDAYS(DATE(YEAR(K3),MONTH(K3),1),DATE(YEAR(K3),MONTH(K3)+1,1)-1)
becomes
NETWORKDAYS(44621, 44651)
and returns 23.
6. NETWORKDAYS Function - holidays
Excel contains a great function that easily counts the number of workdays between two dates, it even allows you to specify holidays that are not counted.
Formula in cell C4:
The image above shows two dates in cell range B5:B6 that acts as holidays in this example.
Formula in cell C8:
NETWORKDAYS.INTL function is available for Excel 2010 and later versions, it allows you to use custom weekends meaning if you want only Sundays to be weekend you can do that.
The string "1101111" means that all days except Wednesdays are weekends (isn't that great?) in the formula above, see row 9 and 10 above.
'NETWORKDAYS' function examples
Functions in 'Date and Time' category
The NETWORKDAYS function function is one of 22 functions in the 'Date and Time' category.
Excel function categories
Excel categories
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Hi, I am trying to calculate network days between two cells (not counting weekends and certain holidays). Say H2 has a date something was received, Date will be added to I2 when that item is forwarded. Trying to get network days when date is entered in I2. If not entered would like it to automatically insert "not started". I am using following formula... =NETWORKDAYS(I2,H2,'Do not touch'!F1:F20).