How to Show a Warning After 10, 14, or 30 Days in WPS Spreadsheets
Question details
Create a formula that checks a date in a cell and returns different warning messages when more than 10, 14, or 30 days have passed.
- Product
- WPS Spreadsheets
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- The user is tracking dates such as due dates, follow-ups, or expirations and wants an automatic warning based on how many days have elapsed.
- Observed behavior
- The formula should display the correct threshold warning for each condition and remain blank when none of the thresholds are reached.
Make sure your dates are stored as real date values and pick a helper cell, such as E2, where the warning message will appear.
Use a Nested IF Formula to Display 10, 14, and 30-Day Warnings
Best for compatibility with WPS Spreadsheets and Excel; it shows the most severe applicable warning and blanks when no condition is met.
This formula checks the largest threshold first so that a date older than 30 days does not accidentally trigger the 10-day message.
It works in WPS Office Spreadsheets, Microsoft Excel, and other spreadsheet applications that support TODAY and IF.
Click the cell where the warning should appear, for example E2.
Type =IF(D2<TODAY()-30,"More than 30 days have passed!",IF(D2<TODAY()-14,"More than 14 days have passed!",IF(D2<TODAY()-10,"More than 10 days have passed!",""))) and press Enter.
If you have multiple dates, drag the fill handle from the corner of the warning cell down through the remaining rows.
Use the IFS Function as a Modern Alternative
Use this shorter formula in WPS Spreadsheets or Excel versions that support IFS; it removes repeated IF and is easier to read.
Add a Blank-Date Check to Avoid False Warnings
Use this wrapper when some date cells may be empty and you want the warning cell to stay blank instead of showing the 30-day message.
Set Up Date Threshold Warnings in WPS Spreadsheets
WPS Office Spreadsheets supports the same TODAY, IF, and IFS functions as Microsoft Excel, so you can build the warning formula directly in a free, familiar spreadsheet environment without converting your files.
- 1. Open WPS Office Spreadsheets: Launch WPS Office, click Spreadsheets, and open an existing Excel workbook or create a new blank workbook.
- 2. Enter your date values: Type or import the dates you want to track into a column, such as D2:D100.
- 3. Create the warning formula: Select E2 and enter the nested IF formula from the recommended solution, then press Enter.
- 4. Fill the formula down: Drag the fill handle down the warning column to apply the rule to all tracked dates.
- 5. Check the thresholds: Temporarily change a date in D2 to confirm that the 10, 14, and 30-day messages appear correctly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will this formula work in WPS Office Spreadsheets and Microsoft Excel?
Yes. Both use the same TODAY and IF functions, so the formula is interchangeable; WPS also supports .xlsx files without conversion.
Why does an empty date cell show the 30-day warning?
An empty cell evaluates as 0, so it is older than TODAY()-30. Wrap the formula with IF(D2="","",... ) to keep empty dates blank.
How can I change the warning text or add different day thresholds?
Edit the quoted text and the numbers 30, 14, or 10 in the formula to match your own escalation schedule.
Can I apply this warning to hundreds of rows at once?
Yes. Enter the formula in the first row and drag the fill handle down; the references update automatically.
What should I do if the formula returns a #VALUE! or wrong result?
Check that the date column is an actual Date format and not text; use DATEVALUE or reformat the date cells if needed.
