How to Calculate Turnaround Time Excluding Weekends and Holidays in Excel
Question details
The user needs a formula to calculate accurate turnaround times that do not include weekends and holidays, specifically addressing an issue where identical start and end dates return one day instead of zero.
- Product
- Excel
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Calculating exact task or project turnaround times based on start and completion dates without counting non-working days.
- Observed behavior
- The standard NETWORKDAYS function includes both the start and end dates in its count, incorrectly resulting in one working day for tasks started and finished on the same date.
Ensure you have a dedicated range in your worksheet that lists all the specific holiday dates you want to exclude from the calculation.
Use an Adjusted NETWORKDAYS Formula
Subtract one day from the standard NETWORKDAYS result and use an IF statement to handle blank cells.
The NETWORKDAYS function is highly useful for calculating working days, but it is inclusive of both the start and end dates. To calculate pure turnaround time (where starting and finishing on the same day equals 0 days), you must subtract 1 from the total.
Adding an IF function ensures that empty rows do not return calculation errors when an end date has not yet been entered.
Enter the dates of all applicable holidays in a separate column or sheet (for example, cells G11 through G12).
Click on the cell where you want the calculated turnaround time to appear.
Type the formula: =IF(C16="","",NETWORKDAYS(B16,C16,$G$11:$G$12)-1). Replace B16 with your actual start date cell, C16 with your end date cell, and $G$11:$G$12 with the absolute range of your holidays.
Press Enter to view the result, then click and drag the fill handle down to apply the formula to the rest of your data.
Calculate Turnaround Times Easily with WPS Office
WPS Spreadsheet fully supports the NETWORKDAYS function and advanced nested formulas, allowing you to seamlessly calculate turnaround times, manage projects, and analyze data without hassle.
- 1. Open your tracker: Launch WPS Spreadsheet and open your project or task tracker document.
- 2. Define holidays: List your holiday dates in a separate column to keep your data organized.
- 3. Apply the formula: Enter the adjusted NETWORKDAYS formula into your turnaround time column.
- 4. Format the results: Ensure the result column is formatted as 'General' or 'Number' to view the turnaround time in whole days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does NETWORKDAYS return 1 when start and end dates are the same?
By default, the NETWORKDAYS function includes both the starting date and the ending date in its calculation. If they are the same day and fall on a standard workday, it counts as one full day. Subtracting 1 from the formula corrects this when tracking pure turnaround times.
How can I calculate turnaround time excluding weekends but including holidays?
If you do not need to exclude holidays, simply omit the holiday range argument from your formula. The simplified formula would be: =IF(C16="","",NETWORKDAYS(B16,C16)-1).
What if my company's weekends are not Saturday and Sunday?
If your non-working days are different, use the NETWORKDAYS.INTL function instead. It allows you to specify exactly which days of the week are considered weekends through a custom weekend parameter, while still allowing you to subtract 1 for same-day completions.
