Count Months in Excel - Simple Step-by-Step Guide

When it comes to data management and analysis, Microsoft Excel is an indispensable tool for many professionals and casual users alike. One common task in data handling is calculating the number of months between two dates. Whether you're managing project timelines, tracking loan periods, or analyzing time-based metrics, Excel's ability to count months can streamline your work significantly. In this guide, we'll walk you through how to count months in Excel using straightforward steps that even beginners can follow.

Understanding Date Formats in Excel

Before diving into the methods of counting months, it’s essential to understand how Excel handles dates:

• Excel Date Serial Number: Excel treats dates as serial numbers with January 1, 1900, as the starting point. This means that dates are stored as integers, with each day incrementing by 1.
• Display: You control how these numbers are displayed by formatting the cells to show them as dates.
• Year, Month, Day: Functions like YEAR(), MONTH(), and DAY() can be used to extract the respective components from a date value.

Method 1: DATEDIF Function

Excel has a lesser-known function called DATEDIF that’s perfect for calculating the number of complete months between two dates:

• Select the cell where you want to display the result.
• Enter the formula: =DATEDIF(Start Date, End Date, "M")
  • Start Date: The beginning date of the period.
  • End Date: The ending date of the period.
  • "M": The unit of time to measure ("M" for months).
• Press Enter, and Excel will show you the number of complete months between the two dates.

🔍 Note: DATEDIF will not give partial months, but whole complete months.

Method 2: EDATE and MONTH Functions

Another approach to count months uses EDATE and MONTH functions to give you a bit more control:

• Select the cell for the result.
• Use this formula: =MONTH(EDATE(Start Date, 1)) - MONTH(Start Date)
  • EDATE(Start Date, 1): Adds 1 month to the Start Date.
  • MONTH(Start Date): Extracts the month from the Start Date.
• Press Enter, and you'll get the number of months between the two dates.

This method can be particularly useful for those wanting to account for partial months by considering the ending date's month:

• To count partial months, use: =MONTH(End Date) - MONTH(Start Date)

Method 3: NETWORKDAYS Function

The NETWORKDAYS function counts the number of workdays between two dates, which can be modified to estimate the months, keeping weekends and holidays in mind:

• Select the cell for the result.
• Enter the formula: =NETWORKDAYS(Start Date, End Date)/21 (assuming 21 workdays per month on average)
• Press Enter.

🔔 Note: This method provides an approximate count, considering workdays. Adjust the divisor (21) if your business has a different average number of workdays per month.

Handling Different Date Formats

Excel often requires date data to be in a recognizable format:

• Data Entry: When manually entering dates, ensure they are in a consistent format, e.g., mm/dd/yyyy or dd-mm-yyyy.
• Conversion: Use the DATEVALUE() function to convert text strings to date values if dates are imported in various formats.
• Consistency: Excel might misinterpret dates, especially if you work with global teams or switch between locales, so consistent formatting is key.

Automating Monthly Calculations

For recurrent tasks, consider automating your month-counting process:

• Create named ranges for your start and end dates.
• Write a single formula in a cell or use Excel's Data Validation to select these dates.
• Copy or autofill this formula for multiple periods.

In closing, calculating months in Excel is not just about knowing the formula but understanding the nuances of how Excel processes date data. These methods allow you to easily compute time spans in terms of months, helping with scheduling, analytics, or any time-sensitive tasks. Remember that while Excel provides robust tools, it's always about choosing the right function for the context you're working within.