Calculating the difference between two dates is a common task in Excel. By learning how to subtract dates in Excel, you can easily get the number of days, months, and years between two dates. In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to subtract years in Excel using the DatedIF function.
First, open the Excel sheet containing the two dates you want to subtract. In this example, we have Start Date and End Date in columns A and B, respectively.
To get the difference in years between the two dates, we’ll use the DatedIF function. In cell C2, type =DatedIF. Then, open a parenthesis and select cell A2 (Start Date). Add a comma, and select cell B2 (End Date) as the second parameter. Add another comma, and within double quotes, write “Y” to subtract years. Close the parenthesis and press Enter. The result will be the difference between the two dates in years.
To get the difference in months, use the same DatedIF function. Type =DatedIF, open a parenthesis, select the start date (cell A2), add a comma, select the end date (cell B2), add a comma, and within double quotes, write “M” to subtract months. Close the parenthesis and press Enter. The result will be the difference between the two dates in months.
To get the difference in days, again use the DatedIF function. Type =DatedIF, open a parenthesis, select the start date (cell A2), add a comma, select the end date (cell B2), add a comma, and within double quotes, write “D” to subtract days. Close the parenthesis and press Enter. The result will be the difference between the two dates in days.
If you encounter an error when dragging the formula to autofill, it’s likely because the date format doesn’t match that of your computer. Ensure that the date format of the two dates is the same to avoid errors.
In conclusion, the DatedIF function in Excel is a powerful tool that can help you calculate the difference between two dates. By using this function, you can easily subtract years, months, and days in Excel.