Calculation Issues

How to Use Monday as the First Day of the Week in Excel

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to configure Excel to recognize Monday as the first day of the week to calculate week numbers and trigger conditional formatting rules, such as highlighting Sunday deadlines on the preceding Friday.

Product: Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Creating a weekly inspection schedule that requires custom formatting rules based on a Monday-to-Sunday week structure, while sharing the file with colleagues.
Observed behavior: Excel defaults to Sunday as the start of the week and lacks a single, universal workbook setting to change this for all functions and formatting rules.

Before you start

Identify all the date-related cells in your schedule that require conditional formatting, as you will need to update their specific formulas rather than relying on a global setting.

Solution 1Recommended

Adjust Formulas to Use a Monday-Based Week

Use the WEEKDAY function with specific parameters in your conditional formatting rules to treat Monday as the start of the week.

Because Excel does not offer a universal toggle to change the start day of the week, you must adapt the logic inside your formulas. By using the WEEKDAY function with a return type of 2, Excel will count Monday as day 1 and Sunday as day 7.

Select Target Cells

Highlight the range of cells containing your schedule dates where the deadlines need to be evaluated.

Open Conditional Formatting

Navigate to the Home tab on the ribbon, click on Conditional Formatting, and select New Rule from the dropdown menu.

Enter the Custom Formula

Choose 'Use a formula to determine which cells to format'. To flag Sunday deadlines on a Friday, enter a formula utilizing WEEKDAY(cell_reference, 2) and offset it by the required days to trigger the Friday alert.

Share via a Cloud Link

Instead of saving the file to a local C: drive path, upload the workbook to OneDrive or another accessible cloud service and share the generated link to bypass workplace file-sharing restrictions.

Sharing Local Files: A file path starting with 'C:\' is local to your computer. Other users cannot open it. Always use a cloud-based link (like a OneDrive sharing link) for collaborative reviews.

Seamless Spreadsheet Management

Manage Monday-Based Schedules in WPS Spreadsheet

WPS Spreadsheet fully supports advanced formula inputs for conditional formatting, allowing you to easily adjust week start dates to Monday. It also includes built-in cloud sharing to prevent local access issues.

1. Open Your Schedule File: Launch WPS Spreadsheet and open your existing weekly schedule document.
2. Access Conditional Formatting: Select your date ranges, go to the Home tab, and click on Conditional Formatting > New Rule.
3. Apply Monday Rules: Input your custom formula using WEEKDAY(cell, 2) to set Monday as the first day and apply your Friday highlighting format.
4. Share Easily: Click the Share button in the top right corner to generate a cloud link, ensuring your team can access the file from anywhere.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel date formulas like WEEKDAY and WEEKNUM.Robust conditional formatting to manage custom inspection schedules and alerts.Built-in WPS Cloud integration for easy, accessible file sharing.Lightweight, fast, and free to use for everyday office tasks.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a global setting in Excel to change the first day of the week to Monday?

No, Excel does not provide a single universal workbook setting to change the first day of the week from Sunday to Monday. You must adapt individual elements like conditional formatting rules, pivot tables, and specific formulas.

What formula makes Monday the first day of the week?

Use the WEEKDAY function with a return type of 2. For example, `=WEEKDAY(A1, 2)` will evaluate the date in cell A1, assigning 1 to Monday and 7 to Sunday.

How do I calculate the week number starting on a Monday?

You can use the WEEKNUM function with a return type of 2. Typing `=WEEKNUM(A1, 2)` ensures the calculation treats Monday as the start of the week rather than the default Sunday.

Why can't my colleagues open the workbook I shared?

If you shared a file path that begins with your local C: drive, it only points to the file on your personal computer. You need to upload the file to a cloud service (like OneDrive or WPS Cloud) and share the accessible web link.

Excel & Data Problems