Quick Answer

WORKDAY Function

Returns a date n workdays from a start date.

Syntax

WORKDAY

(start_date, days, [holidays])

Parameters

Parameter	Description	Required
start_date	The starting date serial.	Required
days	The number of workdays to move. Positive moves forward, negative moves backward. The start date itself is not counted.	Required
holidays	Optional range or array of dates to exclude as non-working days.	Optional

Basic Example

Ten workdays after Jan 1, 2024

=WORKDAY(DATE(2024, 1, 1), 10)

Result45305

Starting Monday Jan 1, 10 workdays (skipping Sat/Sun) land on Monday Jan 15 2024 (serial 45305).

Advanced Examples

Example 1: Excluding a holiday

A project deadline with a mid-period holiday

The holiday pushes the result one day later

=WORKDAY(DATE(2024, 1, 1), 10, {"2024-01-15"})

Result: 45306

Without the holiday the 10th workday is Jan 15, but excluding Jan 15 (a Monday) shifts the result to Jan 16 (serial 45306).

Example 2: Moving backward

Ten workdays before Jan 15

A negative days value goes to the past

=WORKDAY(DATE(2024, 1, 15), -10)

Result: 45291

Ten workdays earlier is Monday Jan 1 2024 (serial 45291).

How WORKDAY Works

WORKDAY walks forward (or backward) from start_date, counting only weekdays (Monday-Friday by default) and skipping any date listed in holidays, until it has counted the requested number of workdays. The start date is not included in the count.

1

Enter the start date

Provide a date serial or DATE(...) expression.

2

Enter the number of workdays

Use a positive or negative integer.

3

Optionally list holidays

Pass a range or array of holiday dates to exclude.

Important Notes & Limitations

Only Saturday and Sunday weekends are supported; use WORKDAY.INTL for custom weekend days.
The start date itself is not counted toward the days total.
Holidays must be valid date serials, not text.

Common Errors & Fixes

#VALUE!A non-date start_date or a holiday that Excel cannot read as a date.

Fix: Ensure all date arguments are real date serials.

Result looks like a numberThe cell is not date-formatted.

Fix: Apply a date number format to the result.

Download Practice File

Practice WORKDAY with Real Data

Download a sample CSV file with pre-populated data and practice exercises for the WORKDAY function. Works in both Excel and Google Sheets.

Works in Google SheetsCompatible with ExcelIncludes exercises

File format: CSV (comma-separated values) - opens in Excel, Google Sheets, and all spreadsheet apps

Frequently Asked Questions

Does WORKDAY count the start date?

No, the start date is excluded; it counts only the workdays after it.

How do I use a custom weekend?

Use WORKDAY.INTL, which accepts a weekend code or 7-character weekend string.

Can days be negative?

Yes, a negative value returns a date before the start date.