SharePoint Document Issues

How to Create a SharePoint Due In Column with Days Remaining

Aamir Naveed Akram Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to create a SharePoint calculated column that displays the exact number of days remaining between today's date and a specified due date.

How to Create a SharePoint Due In Column Showing Days Remaining

Product: SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Tracking project deadlines or task due dates in a SharePoint list or document library by displaying a countdown of remaining days.
Observed behavior: Users need a dynamic countdown, but the native TODAY() function in SharePoint calculated columns does not recalculate continuously on a daily basis.

Before you start

Ensure you have permission to edit list columns in your SharePoint site and access to Power Automate to create a scheduled cloud flow.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Power Automate and DATEDIF to Calculate Days Remaining

Because SharePoint calculated columns do not automatically refresh the TODAY() function every day, you must use a scheduled Power Automate flow to update a 'Today' column, which is then used in your calculation.

SharePoint only recalculates formulas when an item is created or modified. To maintain an accurate daily countdown, a background automation is required to force the date update.

Create the required date columns

Navigate to your SharePoint list settings and create two Date and Time columns: one named 'Due Date' (for your deadline) and one named 'Today' (to hold the current date).

Set up a daily Power Automate flow

Open Power Automate and create a Scheduled Cloud Flow that runs every day. Add an action to 'Get items' from your SharePoint list, and then add an 'Update item' action to write the expression 'utcNow()' into the 'Today' column for all items.

Create the calculated column

Back in your SharePoint list, create a new Calculated Column named 'Due In'. In the formula box, enter: =DATEDIF([Today],[Due Date],"d")

Format the output

Set the data type returned by the formula to 'Number' and save the column. The list will now dynamically show the days remaining based on the daily Power Automate updates.

Use Power Automate and DATEDIF to Calculate Days Remaining

Adding text to the number: If you want the column to display '4 Days' instead of just '4', modify your formula to: =DATEDIF([Today],[Due Date],"d") & " Days"

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Manage Deadlines Easily with WPS Office Spreadsheets

While tracking dynamic dates in SharePoint requires complex Power Automate workarounds, doing so in a spreadsheet is much simpler. WPS Office is a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative to Microsoft Office that lets you manage project deadlines using simple built-in date functions seamlessly.

1. Open WPS Spreadsheet: Launch WPS Office and create a new Spreadsheet for your task list.
2. Set up your dates: Enter your deadlines in a 'Due Date' column (e.g., cell B2).
3. Calculate days remaining: In the adjacent column, enter the formula =B2-TODAY() and format the cell as a number. The value will update automatically every time you open the file.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx), Word, and PowerPoint formats.Use the dynamic =TODAY() function natively without needing external automation workflows.Familiar tabbed user interface allows for zero-learning-curve migration from Microsoft Office.Lightweight application that runs smoothly even on older devices.Completely free basic version to handle everyday document and spreadsheet tasks.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't the TODAY() function update automatically in SharePoint calculated columns?

SharePoint is designed to only recalculate a calculated column when the specific list item is actively created or modified by a user or system. It does not run background recalculations for functions like TODAY() on a daily basis to save server resources.

Does using Power Automate to update SharePoint lists require a premium license?

No. The standard SharePoint connectors used to 'Get items' and 'Update item' on a scheduled basis are included in standard Microsoft 365 plans and do not require a premium Power Automate license.

What happens to the Due In column if the Due Date has already passed?

If the Due Date is earlier than the 'Today' date, the DATEDIF function may return an error (#NUM!). To handle past due dates gracefully, you can wrap the calculation in an IF statement, such as checking if [Due Date] < [Today].

Document & File Issues