Excel YEAR Function
YEAR returns the year number from an Excel date.
Use it to group rows by year, test whether dates belong to a reporting period, create year labels, or separate calendar parts for later formulas.
YEAR syntax & arguments
Syntax
=YEAR(serial_number)
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1
serial_number
RequiredThe Excel date value, cell reference, or formula result whose year number should be returned.
Example
=YEAR(A2)
Return the year number from the date in A2.
YEAR caveats
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The source should be a real date
YEAR is most reliable when the input is an Excel date serial number, a date cell, or a date assembled with DATE.
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Display format does not matter
A date formatted as
Jun 30still has a year internally, and YEAR reads that underlying date value.
Need a full period key? Combine YEAR with MONTH, or use TEXT to format a date as a label such as "yyyy-mm".
Intro YEAR practice problem
Solve the intro problem directly here, or open it on its own page.
Advanced YEAR practice problems
Use YEAR alongside other Excel functions in realistic, less-prescriptive challenges.
