Use the WORKDAY function to calculate workdays - Date and Time Functions - Microsoft Excel Tutorials

Use the WORKDAY function to calculate workdays using Microsoft Excel

A worksheet is used to schedule a project. The project contains the start date and five major steps. Each step takes an estimated number of days to accomplish. To determine the correct end date, weekends and additional days off have to be taken into consideration. To perform this task, use the WORKDAY function from the Analysis ToolPak add-in. This function returns a date that is the indicated number of workdays before or after a date. Workdays exclude weekends and any dates identified as holidays. The syntax is as follows:

WORKDAY(start_date, days, holidays)

start_date: The start date.
days: The total number of available days, not counting weekends and holidays, before or after start_date. Both positive and negative values are acceptable.
holidays: (optional) One or more dates that are to be excluded from the work schedule.


To determine the end date of a project:

1. In cell C2, enter the start date of the project.
2. In column B enter the estimated days to finish each step.
3. In cell D2 type the following formula:
=WORKDAY(C3,B3,$F$2:$F$8).
4. In cells F1:F8 additional holidays can be listed individually.
5. In cell C3 type the formula =D2+1.
6. Fill cells C3 and D2 down to C6 and D6.

Use the WORKDAY function to calculate workdays