NETWORKDAYS function: Description, Usage, Syntax, Examples and Explanation
What is NETWORKDAYS function in Excel?
NETWORKDAYS function is one of Date and Time functions in Microsoft Excel that returns the number of whole working days between start_date and end_date. Working days exclude weekends and any dates identified in holidays. Use NETWORKDAYS to calculate employee benefits that accrue based on the number of days worked during a specific term.
Tip: To calculate whole workdays between two dates by using parameters to indicate which and how many days are weekend days, use the NETWORKDAYS.INTL function.
Syntax of NETWORKDAYS function
NETWORKDAYS(start_date, end_date, [holidays])
The NETWORKDAYS function syntax has the following arguments:
- Start_date: A date that represents the start date.
- End_date: A date that represents the end date.
- Holidays(Optional): An optional range of one or more dates to exclude from the working calendar, such as state and federal holidays and floating holidays. The list can be either a range of cells that contains the dates or an array constant of the serial numbers that represent the dates.
Important: Dates should be entered by using the DATE function, or as results of other formulas or functions. For example, use DATE(2012,5,23) for the 23rd day of May, 2012. Problems can occur if dates are entered as text.
NETWORKDAYS formula explanation
- Microsoft Excel stores dates as sequential serial numbers so they can be used in calculations. By default, January 1, 1900 is serial number 1, and January 1, 2012 is serial number 40909 because it is 40,909 days after January 1, 1900.
- If any argument is not a valid date, NETWORKDAYS returns the #VALUE! error value.
Example of NETWORKDAYS function
Steps to follow:
1. Open a new Excel worksheet.
2. Copy data in the following table below and paste it in cell A1
Note: For formulas to show results, select them, press F2 key on your keyboard and then press Enter.
You can adjust the column widths to see all the data, if need be.
| Date | Description | |
| 10/1/2012 | Start date of project | |
| 3/1/2013 | End date of project | |
| 11/22/2012 | Holiday | |
| 12/4/2012 | Holiday | |
| 1/21/2013 | Holiday | |
| Formula | Description | Result |
| =NETWORKDAYS(A2,A3) | Number of workdays between the start (10/1/2012) and end date (3/1/2013). | 110 |
| =NETWORKDAYS(A2,A3,A4) | Number of workdays between the start (10/1/2012) and end date (3/1/2013), with the 11/22/2012 holiday as a non-working day. | 109 |
| =NETWORKDAYS(A2,A3,A4:A6) | Number of workdays between the start (10/1/2012) and end date (3/1/2013), with the three holidays as non-working days. | 107 |