Have you ever needed to get the current date in Google Sheets? In this tutorial, we will cover two functions that will allow you to do just that: TODAY and DATEDIF.
Part 1: Using the TODAY Function
The TODAY function returns today’s date in month, day, and year format. It is very easy to use because it does not require any attributes. To use the TODAY function, simply type “=TODAY()” in a cell and press enter. The cell will then display the current date.
Part 2: Using the DATEDIF Function
The DATEDIF function returns the number of years, months, or days between an end date and a start date. To use the DATEDIF function, you will need to input the start date, end date, and unit. The unit takes one of three values: “y” to get the whole years between two dates, “m” to get the whole months between two dates, and “d” to get the whole days between two dates.
To calculate the number of years, months, or days between an investment date and the current date, first use the TODAY function as described in Part 1. Next, input the start date (investment date) and end date (TODAY function) into the DATEDIF function. Finally, input the desired unit (y, m, or d) into the function.
When copying the formula to other cells, it is important to make the addresses of the start and end dates absolute. This will ensure that the formula references the correct cells. To make an address absolute, simply add a “$” before the column letter and row number.
By using the TODAY and DATEDIF functions, you can easily get the current date and calculate the number of years, months, or days between two dates in Google Sheets.