How to Apply Excel Formula to Count Days from Date to Today

Counting the number of days in Excel is a significant task in our day-to-day activities. But what are the Excel formulas to do that in an efficient way? In this article, I’m going to count the number of days from any date to today using Excel formula and Power Query.

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8 Easy Ways to Apply Excel Formula to Count Days from Date to Today

In this article, we will demonstrate to you how to apply an Excel formula to count days from date to today by using the Subtraction formula, the TODAY function, the DATE function, the DAYS function, the DATEDIF function, the NETWORKDAYS function, the NETWORKS.INT function, and the utilizing the Power Query.

Before going into the main discussion, let’s look at our data set.

In the following figure, employee names with their joining dates are given. We have to count the number of days from the joining date to Today.

Let’s get started

1. Using Subtraction Formula to Count Days from Date to Today in Excel

We can count the number of days from the joining date till today effortlessly using the subtraction formula.

The subtraction formula, the easiest one to deduct, might be easily applied by entering the minus (-) operator between the two dates.

Step 1:

• Firstly, select the E5 cell.
• Then, write down the following formula.

• Finally, press ENTER.

Step 2:

• So, you will see the number of days between the first person’s joining date and today’s date.
• Then, use the Fill Handle tool and drag it down from the E5 cell to the E13 cell.

Step 3:

• Finally, you will get the number of days for all the people in the data set.

Read More: How to Minus Number of Days or a Date from Today in Excel

2. Employing TODAY Function for Counting Days from Date to Today

If you don’t want to create a different cell for the current date, you can always utilize the TODAY function.

This function returns the current date, which is updated constantly if the data set is modified or opened. No arguments are presented in the TODAY function.

Step 1:

• To apply the function in our data set, select a blank cell e.g. E5 cell.
• Then,  type the following formula to calculate the total number of days since an employee has joined the office. Here C5 is the joining date of the employee.

• And then, press ENTER.

Step 2:

• Therefore, you will see the number of days between the first person’s joining date and today’s date.
• Then, use the Fill Handle tool and drag it down from the E5 cell to the E13 cell.

Step 3:

• Finally, you will get the number of days for all the people in the data set.

Read More: Excel Formula to Calculate Number of Days Between Today and Another Date

3. Using Excel Formula with DAYS Function to Count Days from Date to Today

Another simple way to count the number of days between two dates, in this case, the joining date, and the current date, is to apply the DAYS function.

The function yields the number of days between two Excel dates.

Syntax of the DAYS Function

Arguments of the DAYS Function

end_date – The end date.

start_date – The start date.

Step 1:

• So, let’s apply the function in our data set. Now, select a blank cell like D5.
• Then, insert the following formula below here. where D5 is the date of the current day and C5 is the date of joining date.

• After that, hit ENTER.

Step 2:

• Here, you will see the number of days between the first person’s joining date and today’s date.
• Then, use the Fill Handle tool and drag it down from the E5 cell to the E13 cell.

Step 3:

• As a result, you will get the number of days for all the people in the data set.

Read More: How to Calculate Number of Days Between Two Dates in Excel

4. Applying DATE Function for Counting Days from Today in Excel

You can calculate the number of days using the DATE function. The DATE function returns the serial number that a particular date holds.

Syntax of the DATE Function

Arguments of the DATE Function

year – Number for the year.

month – Number for the month.

day – Number for the day.

As we have one cell that contains the date, we can use the YEAR, MONTH, and DAY functions to extract the year, month, and date respectively. Also, you can input the data manually.

• The YEAR function extracts the year from a given date. The syntax of the function is

• The Excel MONTH function extracts the month from a given date

• The Excel DAY function returns the day of the month as a number between 1 to 31 from a given date.

Step 1:

• Therefore, our formula takes the form where D5 is the date of the current day and C5 is the joining date.

• Now, select a blank cell E5, input the formula, and press ENTER.

Step 2:

• Therefore, you will see the number of days between the first person’s joining date and today’s date.
• Besides, use the Fill Handle tool and drag it down from the E5 cell to the E13 cell.

Step 3:

• Lastly, the given image shows the number of days between the joining date and today’s date in the data set.

Read More: Calculate Number of Days between Two Dates with VBA in Excel

Similar Readings

• How to Calculate Number of Months Between Two Dates in Excel
• Add Days to a Date in Excel Excluding Weekends (4 Ways)
• How to Calculate Working Days in a Month in Excel (4 Easy Ways)
• Subtract Dates in Excel to Get Years (7 Simple Methods)
• How to Calculate Working Days between Two Dates in Excel (4 Methods)

5. Employing Excel Formula with DATEDIF Function to Count Days from Date to Today

The use of the DATEDIF function is also a way to count days between Excel dates. It is specially intended to determine the time difference in different units, including days, months, and years.

Syntax of the DATEIF Function

Arguments of the DATEIF Function

start_date – Start date in Excel date serial number format.

end_date – End date in Excel date serial number format.

unit – The time unit to use (years, months, or days).

Step 1:

• So the formula for our data set is given below where D5 is the date of the current day and C5 is the date of joining date. Also, d refers to days (full days).

• Now enter the formula in a blank cell, and press ENTER.
• Likewise the DAYS function, you can also use the TODAY function here instead of end_date.

Step 2:

• Then, you will see the number of days between the first person’s joining date and today’s date.
• Besides, use the Fill Handle tool and drag it down from the E5 cell to the E13 cell.

Step 3:

• Lastly, the given image shows the number of days between the joining date and today’s date in the data set.

Read More: How to Count Months from Date to Today by Using Excel Formula

6. Applying NETWORKDAYS Function for Counting Days from Date to Today in Excel

If you want to count working days and exclude weekend days and holidays, you can use the NETWORKDAYS function.

Excel NETWORKDAYS function counts the number of working days between two dates. Saturday and Sunday are automatically excluded from the function and optionally a list of the holidays might be excluded.

You can’t change the default weekend days in the function.

Syntax of the NETWORKDAYS Function

Arguments of the NETWORKDAYS Function

start_date – The start date.

end_date – The end date.

holidays – [optional] A list of non-work days as dates.

Step 1:

• Firstly, let’s count the number of working days excluding the default weekend days, and not counting the holidays.
• So, select a blank cell and insert the following formula where C5 is the joining date and D5 is the date of the current day.

• Then, press ENTER.

Step 2:

• Then, you will see the number of days between the first person’s joining date and today’s date.
• After that, use the Fill Handle tool and drag it down from the E5 cell to the E13 cell.

Step 3:

• Lastly, the given image shows the number of days between the joining date and today’s date in the data set.

Now, we can include a list of the holidays. It is not mandatory that the cell range of the holidays is close to the other two dates. But make sure that the Dollar ($) sign is available in the cell range so that it will work for all employees.

Therefore, the formula will be:

where C5 is the joining date, D5 is the date of the current day (you can use the TODAY function instead of it) and $E$5:$E$13 is the cell range for holidays. After that, select a blank cell and press Enter.

• Finally, you’ll get the following output.

Read More: How to Calculate Working Days Excluding Sundays in Excel

7. Using Excel NETWORKDAYS.INT Function to Count Days from Date to Today

As you know, weekend days vary from country to country. For example, Friday and Saturday are weekend days in some countries.

One main limitation of the NETWORKDAYS function is fixed on Saturday and Sunday. If you want to customize the weekend days, then NETWORKDAYS.INT function will be the right option for you.

This function also counts the number of working days excluding the customized weekend days and holidays.

Syntax of the NETWORKDAYS.INT Function

Arguments of the NETWORKDAYS.INT Function

start_date – The start date.

end_date – The end date.

weekend – [optional] Setting for which days of the week should be considered weekends.

holidays – [optional] A reference to dates that should be considered non-work days.

Step 1:

• To apply the formula in our data set, select a blank cell e.g. E5.
• Then, type the following formula where C5 is the joining date and D5 is the date of the current day and 7 is for the weekend days of Friday and Saturday.

• After pressing ENTER, you’ll get the following result.

Step 2:

• So, you will see the number of days between the first person’s joining date and today’s date.
• After that, use the Fill Handle tool and drag it down from the E5 cell to the E13 cell.

Step 3:

• Consequently, the given image shows the number of days between the joining date and today’s date in the data set.

• Later, if you can include holidays in the function. In that case, write down the following formula here. where C5 is the joining date and D5 is the date of the current day, 7 is for the weekend days of Friday and Saturday and $E$5:$E$13 is for holidays.

• Finally, you’ll get the following output.

Read More: How to Calculate Days Outstanding in Excel (With Easy Steps)

8. Utilizing Power Query for Counting Days from Date to Today in Excel

If you want to do the same analysis using Power Query that I have done using different Excel functions, it will be a good decision.

Power Query, one of the most powerful business intelligence tools, requires the user not to learn a particular code.

The first feature made available in MS Excel in 2010, Excel 2010, and 2013, is a free add-in. It has been fully integrated into Excel since 2016.

Here, I am showing only the subtraction process using Power Query.

Step 1:

• Firstly, select the cell range B4:D13>From Table(available in Data tab)>Create Table>press.

Step 2:

• Add Column>press CTRL key>select the two columns i.e. Joining Date and Today>click on Date>Subtract Days.

Step 3:

• Select Home tab>Close & Load>Close & Load To.

• Here, we will select New worksheet>press.

• Finally, you’ll get the output like the following.

Read More: How to Count Days from Date to Today Automatically Using Excel Formula

Conclusion

In this article, we’ve covered 8 ways of Excel formulas to count days from date to today. I sincerely hope you enjoyed and learned a lot from this article. Additionally, if you want to read more articles on Excel, you may visit our website, ExcelDemy. If you have any questions, comments, or recommendations, kindly leave them in the comment section below.

Further Readings

• How to Add Months to Date in Excel (5 Practical Examples)
• Calculate Years and Months between Two Dates in Excel (6 Approaches)
• How to Count Date Occurrences in Excel (3 Suitable Examples)
• Add Weeks to a Date in Excel (4 Simple Methods)
• How to Calculate Age on a Specific Date with Formula in Excel