Excel WORKDAY Function
WORKDAY returns a date a set number of workdays before or after a start date.
Use it for due dates, settlement dates, service-level targets, and schedules where weekends and optional holiday dates should not count.
WORKDAY syntax & arguments
Syntax
=WORKDAY(start_date, days, [holidays])
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1
start_date
RequiredThe starting date. This should be a real Excel date value, cell reference, or formula result.
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2
days
RequiredThe number of workdays to move. Positive values move forward, negative values move backward, and zero returns the start date.
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3
holidays
OptionalOptional dates to exclude from the workday count, such as company holidays.
Example
=WORKDAY(A2, 5, H2:H10)
Return the date five workdays after A2, excluding holiday dates in H2:H10.
WORKDAY caveats
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Saturday and Sunday are weekends
WORKDAY uses the standard Monday through Friday workweek and skips Saturdays and Sundays.
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The start date is the anchor
dayscounts workdays after or beforestart_date. A value of 1 returns the next workday. -
Holidays must be real date values
The optional
holidaysrange should contain valid Excel dates, not ambiguous text that only looks like dates. -
Negative days move backward
Use a negative
daysvalue when the needed workday is before the start date.
Building dates from parts? Use DATE for reliable start_date or holiday inputs when year, month, and day live separately.
Intro WORKDAY practice problems
No intro WORKDAY problems are currently available.
Advanced WORKDAY practice problems
Use WORKDAY alongside other Excel functions in realistic, less-prescriptive challenges.
