'%3e%3cpath%20d='M8%200C12.4183%200%2016%203.58172%2016%208C16%2012.4183%2012.4183%2016%208%2016C3.58172%2016%200%2012.4183%200%208C0%203.58172%203.58172%200%208%200ZM11.6162%204.38379C11.2257%203.99337%2010.5927%203.99338%2010.2021%204.38379L8%206.58594L5.79785%204.38379C5.40732%203.99334%204.77429%203.99329%204.38379%204.38379C3.99331%204.77429%203.99335%205.40733%204.38379%205.79785L6.58594%208L4.38379%2010.2021C3.99348%2010.5927%203.99341%2011.2257%204.38379%2011.6162C4.77426%2012.0066%205.40734%2012.0065%205.79785%2011.6162L8%209.41406L10.2021%2011.6162C10.5927%2012.0066%2011.2257%2012.0067%2011.6162%2011.6162C12.0067%2011.2257%2012.0066%2010.5927%2011.6162%2010.2021L9.41406%208L11.6162%205.79785C12.0066%205.40735%2012.0066%204.77429%2011.6162%204.38379Z'%20fill='%23080E17'%20fill-opacity='0.46'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cdefs%3e%3cclipPath%20id='clip0_3761_713'%3e%3crect%20width='16'%20height='16'%20fill='white'/%3e%3c/clipPath%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e)
Fix Excel WORKDAY Function Returning the Wrong Date
Question details
The user needs to correct the WORKDAY formula because it generates a date that is one day later than their business schedule expects, despite accounting for non-working days.
- Product
- Excel
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Calculating project deadlines, delivery dates, or employee schedules using the WORKDAY function.
- Observed behavior
- The formula output returns a calendar date that appears one day later than the intended result based on the user's specific workday counting rules.
Verify your starting date cell and ensure your target cell is formatted as a 'Date' rather than 'General' to prevent the result from showing up as a serialized number.
Adjust the WORKDAY Formula by Subtracting One Day
Modify your formula directly to align with business rules that require the start date to be counted as the first day of the timeline.
By default, the Excel WORKDAY function does not count the start date as day one; it begins counting from the following day. If your internal process counts the starting day, the output will always be one day late.
Select the cell containing your current WORKDAY formula, for example, =WORKDAY(F12, F10), where F12 is the start date and F10 is the number of workdays.
Click into the formula bar at the top of the spreadsheet and append -1 to the very end of the formula, making it =WORKDAY(F12, F10)-1.
Press Enter to update the calculation. The calculated date will now return one day earlier, matching your expected project timeline.
Verify Weekend Definitions Using WORKDAY.INTL
Switch to the WORKDAY.INTL function if your company observes a non-standard weekend (e.g., Friday and Saturday), which might be skewing the date calculation.
Calculate Dates Accurately with WPS Spreadsheet
WPS Office offers robust spreadsheet capabilities, fully supporting complex date and time functions like WORKDAY and WORKDAY.INTL. You can easily manage project schedules, adjust workday variables, and calculate deadlines with high precision.
- 1. Open your worksheet: Launch WPS Spreadsheet and open the document containing your scheduling data.
- 2. Enter the WORKDAY formula: Select the target cell and type =WORKDAY(start_date, days, [holidays]).
- 3. Apply manual adjustments: Add -1 to the end of the formula if your business logic requires the date to fall one day earlier, and press Enter to save.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the WORKDAY function return a 5-digit number instead of a date?
This happens when the cell format is set to 'General' or 'Number'. Excel stores dates as sequential serial numbers. To fix this, right-click the cell, select 'Format Cells', and change the category to 'Date'.
What is the difference between WORKDAY and WORKDAY.INTL?
The standard WORKDAY function automatically assumes weekends are Saturday and Sunday. WORKDAY.INTL allows you to customize which days of the week are considered weekends by using a specific numerical weekend parameter.
How do I exclude public holidays in the WORKDAY function?
Create a list of holiday dates in a separate range of cells on your sheet. Then, add this range as the optional third argument in your formula, for example: =WORKDAY(A2, 10, B2:B10).
Does the WORKDAY function count the start date as a workday?
No, the WORKDAY function does not count the start date itself. It begins counting from the day after the start date. If your logic requires counting the start date as day one, you must subtract 1 from the final formula.
