Calculate Months Between Dates In Excel - 5 Easy Ways

Calculating the months between two dates in Excel can be a useful skill for various tasks, such as tracking project timelines, analyzing sales data, or managing employee tenure. Fortunately, Excel offers several easy ways to achieve this, and we'll explore five of them in this article.

Why Calculate Months Between Dates in Excel?

Calculating months between dates in Excel is essential for various reasons:

• Project management: When managing projects, it's crucial to track the duration of tasks, milestones, and overall project timelines. Calculating months between dates helps you estimate the time required for each phase.
• Sales analysis: In sales, analyzing data over time is vital. By calculating months between dates, you can identify trends, seasonality, and areas for improvement.
• Employee management: When managing employees, calculating months between dates helps you track tenure, vacation time, and performance reviews.

Method 1: Using the DATEDIF Function

The DATEDIF function is a built-in Excel formula that calculates the difference between two dates in a specified interval, such as days, months, or years.

• Syntax: DATEDIF(start_date, end_date, interval)
• Example: =DATEDIF(A1, B1, "M") (calculates months between dates in cells A1 and B1)

How to Use the DATEDIF Function

1. Select the cell where you want to display the result.
2. Type =DATEDIF( and select the start date cell (e.g., A1).
3. Type a comma (,) and select the end date cell (e.g., B1).
4. Type a comma (,) and enter the interval ("M" for months).
5. Close the parenthesis and press Enter.

Method 2: Using the MONTH Function

The MONTH function returns the month number (1-12) of a date.

• Syntax: MONTH(date)
• Example: =MONTH(B1) - MONTH(A1) (calculates months between dates in cells A1 and B1)

How to Use the MONTH Function

1. Select the cell where you want to display the result.
2. Type =MONTH( and select the end date cell (e.g., B1).
3. Type a minus sign (-) and select the start date cell (e.g., A1).
4. Type ) and press Enter.

Method 3: Using the EOMONTH Function

The EOMONTH function returns the last day of the month, given a date and an optional number of months to add.

• Syntax: EOMONTH(start_date, months)
• Example: =EOMONTH(A1, 0) - EOMONTH(B1, 0) (calculates months between dates in cells A1 and B1)

How to Use the EOMONTH Function

1. Select the cell where you want to display the result.
2. Type =EOMONTH( and select the start date cell (e.g., A1).
3. Type a comma (,) and enter 0 (to get the last day of the same month).
4. Type a minus sign (-) and repeat steps 2-3 for the end date cell (e.g., B1).
5. Press Enter.

Method 4: Using the YEARFRAC Function

The YEARFRAC function returns the fractional number of years between two dates.

• Syntax: YEARFRAC(start_date, end_date, basis)
• Example: =YEARFRAC(A1, B1, 1) * 12 (calculates months between dates in cells A1 and B1)

How to Use the YEARFRAC Function

1. Select the cell where you want to display the result.
2. Type =YEARFRAC( and select the start date cell (e.g., A1).
3. Type a comma (,) and select the end date cell (e.g., B1).
4. Type a comma (,) and enter 1 (to use the 30/360 day basis).
5. Type ) and multiply by 12 to convert years to months.
6. Press Enter.

Method 5: Using a Custom Formula

You can also create a custom formula using basic arithmetic operations.

• Example: =((YEAR(B1) - YEAR(A1)) \* 12 + MONTH(B1) - MONTH(A1)) (calculates months between dates in cells A1 and B1)

How to Use a Custom Formula

1. Select the cell where you want to display the result.
2. Type =((YEAR( and select the end date cell (e.g., B1).
3. Type a minus sign (-) and select the start date cell (e.g., A1).
4. Type ) \* 12 + and select the end date cell (e.g., B1) again.
5. Type a minus sign (-) and select the start date cell (e.g., A1) again.
6. Type ) and press Enter.

Excel Date Calculations Image Gallery

In conclusion, calculating months between dates in Excel can be achieved using various methods, including the DATEDIF, MONTH, EOMONTH, YEARFRAC functions, and custom formulas. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, and the choice of method depends on the specific requirements of your project or task.