How to Use an Excel IF Formula to Flag Due Dates Within Three Days
Question details
User needs an Excel status formula that marks a project as high priority when its due date falls within the next three days while excluding dates that have already passed.
- Product
- WPS Office Excel
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- The user manages a project worksheet with due dates and wants to add a Status column that automatically flags upcoming deadlines.
- Observed behavior
- The Status column should display "High priority" when a future due date is within three days from today and "Nothing critical" otherwise, ignoring past dates.
Confirm the due date column uses real date values and note the first due date cell reference before writing the formula.
Use IF and TODAY to Flag Due Dates Within Three Days
Use this formula when you need a Status column that automatically flags upcoming due dates within three days and ignores past dates.
The formula multiplies two logical conditions: the due date minus today is less than or equal to 3, and the due date is greater than today. When both conditions are true, the IF function returns "High priority"; otherwise it returns "Nothing critical".
Click the first cell in the Status column where the result should appear.
Type =IF((E2-TODAY()<=3)*(E2>TODAY()),"High priority","Nothing critical"), replacing E2 with the first due date cell in your worksheet.
Press Enter and drag the fill handle down to copy the formula to the rest of the Status column.
Flag Due Dates in WPS Office Excel with an IF Formula
Open your due date workbook in WPS Office Excel, enter the IF and TODAY formula in the Status column, and fill it down. WPS Office Excel supports this formula natively and preserves Microsoft Excel formatting and formula compatibility.
- 1. Open your workbook in WPS Office Excel: Launch WPS Office and open the worksheet that contains the project due dates.
- 2. Click the first Status cell: Select the cell next to the first due date where you want the high priority status to appear.
- 3. Enter the IF formula: Type =IF((E2-TODAY()<=3)*(E2>TODAY()),"High priority","Nothing critical") and replace E2 with the correct due date cell.
- 4. Fill the formula down: Press Enter and drag the fill handle from the bottom-right corner of the cell down the Status column.
- 5. Verify the results: Check that upcoming due dates within three days show "High priority" and past dates show "Nothing critical".
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change the formula to include due dates today?
Yes. Replace DueDate>TODAY() with DueDate>=TODAY(). For example, use =IF((E2-TODAY()<=3)*(E2>=TODAY()),"High priority","Nothing critical").
Why does my formula return Nothing critical for today's due date?
The original formula uses DueDate>TODAY(), so today and past dates are excluded. Use >=TODAY() if you want today's due date to be flagged as high priority.
Can I use this with an Excel table's structured references?
Yes. If the due date column is named DueDate, use =IF(([@DueDate]-TODAY()<=3)*([@DueDate]>TODAY()),"High priority","Nothing critical") inside the table.
Why do I get a #VALUE! error?
Check that the due date cells contain real date values rather than text. Select the cells, open the Number format menu, and choose Date before using the formula.
Does WPS Office Excel support IF and TODAY functions?
Yes. WPS Office Excel supports IF, TODAY, and date arithmetic, and it keeps workbooks compatible with Microsoft Excel XLSX files.
