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How to Calculate a Microsoft Lists Due Date Excluding Weekends

Nimra Malik Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to calculate a due date by adding SLA days to a start date while automatically skipping weekends and public holidays.

How to Calculate a Microsoft Lists Due Date Excluding Weekends

Product: Microsoft Lists
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Tracking task deadlines, service level agreements (SLAs), or project milestones within a Microsoft List environment.
Observed behavior: Standard date addition formulas include weekends, resulting in inaccurate due dates that do not reflect actual business working days.

Before you start

Ensure you have 'Edit' or 'Full Control' permissions for the Microsoft List to add or modify calculated columns. Additionally, verify whether your specific SharePoint or Microsoft Lists environment supports advanced Excel date functions.

Solution 1Recommended

Use the WORKDAY Function in a Calculated Column

This is the most straightforward method for calculating business days if your Microsoft Lists environment fully supports the WORKDAY function.

Microsoft Lists calculated columns are based on SharePoint formulas, which closely mirror Excel but have some limitations. The WORKDAY function adds a specified number of working days to a date, automatically excluding Saturdays and Sundays.

Add a new column

Navigate to your Microsoft List, click on 'Add column' at the right end of your headers, and select 'More...' from the dropdown menu to access advanced column types.

Select calculated column type

Type 'Due Date' as the column name, and choose 'Calculated (calculation based on other columns)' as the type of information in this column.

Enter the WORKDAY formula

In the Formula box, input the formula: =WORKDAY([Start Date],[SLA Days]). Make sure the column names match your existing list columns exactly.

Set the output format

Under 'The data type returned from this formula is', select 'Date and Time'. Choose 'Date Only' and click 'OK' to save your new calculated column.

Use the WORKDAY Function in a Calculated Column

Adding Holidays: You can add a third parameter to the WORKDAY function to exclude specific holidays, though maintaining a static holiday array in a Lists formula can be cumbersome.

Solution 2

Implement Due Date Calculation via Power Automate

Use this method if the WORKDAY function is unsupported in your environment or if you need to reliably exclude a dynamic list of custom public holidays.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Easily Manage Project Dates and SLA Tracking with WPS Office

While Microsoft Lists handles basic tracking, complex date calculations and SLA management are often much easier to manage in a dedicated spreadsheet. WPS Office offers a free, lightweight alternative to Microsoft Excel with full, out-of-the-box support for WORKDAY, NETWORKDAYS, and custom holiday arrays.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the free WPS Office suite for your operating system.
2. Open WPS Spreadsheet: Launch WPS Spreadsheet and either create a new blank tracker or open your existing .xlsx project file.
3. Apply advanced date formulas: Use native formulas like =WORKDAY(A2, B2) directly in your cells to calculate SLA due dates without the syntax limitations found in Lists.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) formulas, ensuring WORKDAY and NETWORKDAYS function flawlessly.Free and lightweight, allowing for quick deployment and effortless document editing.Familiar user interface means zero learning curve for users migrating from Microsoft Office.Built-in customizable templates for tracking projects, deadlines, and service level agreements.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Microsoft List calculated column show a syntax error for WORKDAY?

This usually happens if your local regional settings require semicolons (;) instead of commas (,) to separate formula parameters, or if the specific SharePoint/Lists environment you are using has restricted or deprecated the WORKDAY function.

Can I exclude specific holidays in a Microsoft Lists calculated column?

Yes, but it is complicated. You must hardcode the holiday dates or reference them within the formula (e.g., =WORKDAY([Start Date], [SLA Days], DATE(2023,12,25))). For maintaining multiple changing holidays, using Power Automate is highly recommended over calculated columns.

What is the difference between WORKDAY and WEEKDAY functions?

WORKDAY adds a specific number of business days to a starting date and returns the final date. WEEKDAY returns a number representing the day of the week (e.g., 1 for Sunday, 2 for Monday) for a given date. For SLA calculations, you should use WORKDAY.

How do I test if my SLA calculation correctly skips weekends?

You can test this by adding a new item to your List with a Start Date on a Thursday or Friday and an SLA of 3 days. If the Due Date lands on a Tuesday or Wednesday of the following week respectively, the weekend has been successfully skipped.

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