The Excel WORKDAY function returns the date a number of working days before or after a start date, skipping weekends and any holidays you list — the tool for delivery dates, SLAs, and project deadlines.
Syntax
| Argument | Description | |
|---|---|---|
start_date | Required | The starting date (not counted). |
days | Required | Working days forward (positive) or back (negative). |
holidays | Optional | Optional range of dates to skip in addition to weekends. |
How to use it
The start date itself is not counted — WORKDAY(Friday, 1) returns the next Monday. Negative days count backward. For custom weekends (e.g. Fri–Sat), use WORKDAY.INTL. To count working days between two dates, use NETWORKDAYS.
Remember Excel’s date system: every date is a serial number (days since Jan 1, 1900 — so 1 = that day, 46000-ish = today) and every time is a fraction of a day (0.5 = noon). If a result shows a raw number, just apply a date or time cell format.
Try it: interactive demo
Adjust the input and watch the formula and result update.
Tips & gotchas
Date N working days away, skipping weekends and holidays - deadlines and SLAs. Format result cells as Date or Time so they don’t display raw serial numbers.
Practice workbook
Frequently asked questions
Is the start date counted?
How do I exclude holidays?
What if my weekend isn’t Sat–Sun?
Can days be negative?
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