Excel DATE Function
The DATE function in Microsoft Excel creates a date from year, month, and day values. It is useful for constructing valid date formats for calculations or data entry.
Key Topics
Overview of DATE Function
The DATE function combines individual year, month, and day components into a single date value, ensuring compatibility with Excel’s date system. It is ideal for generating dates dynamically or standardizing inputs.
DATE Function Syntax
The syntax for the DATE function is as follows:
Syntax: =DATE(year, month, day)
Parameters:
- year: The year value (required).
- month: The month value (required).
- day: The day value (required).
Implementation Examples
Below are examples of how to use the DATE function in different scenarios.
Example 1: =DATE(2025, 6, 3) — Creates the date 06/03/2025.
Example 2: =DATE(B2, C2, D2) — Creates a date using year in B2, month in C2, and day in D2.
Example 3: =DATE(YEAR(TODAY()), MONTH(TODAY())+1, 1) — Returns the first day of next month.
Sample Dataset (Excel-style View)
Below is a demo dataset styled like Excel, showing how the DATE function can be used to construct project start dates.
| A | B | C | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Project | Year | Month | Start Date |
| 2 | Alpha | 2025 | 1 | =DATE(B2, C2, 1) |
| 3 | Beta | 2025 | 2 | =DATE(B3, C3, 1) |
| 4 | Gamma | 2025 | 3 | =DATE(B4, C4, 1) |
| 5 | Delta | 2025 | 4 | =DATE(B5, C5, 1) |
| 6 | Epsilon | 2025 | 5 | =DATE(B6, C6, 1) |
Note: In the dataset, column D uses =DATE(B2, C2, 1) to create a date using the year in B2, month in C2, and day set to 1. The formula is applied to each row to construct the first day of each project’s start month.
Key Takeaways
- The DATE function creates a date from year, month, and day values.
- It ensures valid date formats for calculations or reporting.
- It can use dynamic inputs, e.g., with TODAY or cell references.
- Common uses include generating project timelines or standardizing dates.
- The sample dataset demonstrates DATE applied to create project start dates.