Function Problems

How to Use Excel IF Formula to Compare Cut and Promise Ship Dates

Elise Williams Oct 21, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs an Excel formula to check if a cut date is blank and if a promise ship date is within the next 14 days, and then return the number of days remaining until shipment.

How to Use an Excel IF Formula to Compare Cut and Promise Ship Dates

Product: Spreadsheet
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Tracking shipping schedules where an item needs to be evaluated based on whether it has been cut yet and how close the promised shipping date is.
Observed behavior: The user wants to conditionally output a specific status or calculate the remaining days from today using logical functions.

Before you start

Ensure that your promise ship dates and cut dates are stored as valid Date values in your spreadsheet, not as plain text.

Solution 1Recommended

Use IF, AND, and TODAY Functions to Calculate Remaining Days

Combine the IF, AND, and TODAY functions to check multiple date conditions simultaneously and return the number of days until the promised ship date.

The IF function can evaluate multiple logical tests when combined with the AND function. By using the TODAY function, you can dynamically calculate the date difference without hardcoding today's date.

Select the result cell

Click on the cell where you want the days remaining or the status to be displayed.

Enter the logical formula

Type the formula =IF(AND(E2="",D2<=TODAY()+14),D2-TODAY(),"") where D2 contains the promise ship date and E2 contains the cut date.

Format the output

Press Enter. Select the cell, go to the Home tab, and change the Number Format dropdown to General or Number so it displays as an integer rather than a date.

Use IF, AND, and TODAY Functions to Calculate Remaining Days

Customizing the Output: If you prefer to return a text status instead of the number of days, replace D2-TODAY() in the formula with your desired text enclosed in quotation marks, such as "Needs Attention".

Advanced Formula Support

Manage Shipping Schedules Easily with WPS Spreadsheet

WPS Spreadsheet fully supports advanced logical date functions like IF, AND, and TODAY. You can seamlessly track shipping timelines, calculate date differences, and manage inventory schedules with its powerful and intuitive formula engine.

1. Open your schedule: Launch WPS Spreadsheet and open the document containing your shipping and cut dates.
2. Apply the formula: Click the target cell, paste the IF and AND combination formula, and press Enter to evaluate the conditions.
3. Fill the column: Drag the fill handle at the bottom right of the cell downwards to apply this conditional calculation to all your shipping records.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel formulas and .xlsx formats.Comprehensive support for complex logical and date calculations.Lightweight, fast-loading, and completely free to use.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my formula return a strange date format instead of a number?

When subtracting dates, spreadsheet software often defaults the result cell to a Date format. To fix this, select the cell, go to the Home tab, and change the cell format to General or Number.

How can I change the evaluation window from 14 days to 30 days?

You can easily modify the time frame by changing the +14 in the formula. For a 30-day window, update the formula segment to D2<=TODAY()+30.

Can I check if the cut date is NOT blank instead?

Yes. To check if the cut date cell is not empty, change the E2="" part of your AND function to E2<>"".

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