The DATEDIF function with example in Excel

The DATEDIF function in Excel calculates the difference between two dates in terms of years, months, or days. Its syntax is:

excel
DATEDIF(start_date, end_date, unit)

• start_date: The initial date.
• end_date: The end date.
• unit: A code that specifies the type of information you want to return: "Y" for years, "M" for months, and "D" for days.

Here's an example of how you can use the DATEDIF function:

Suppose you want to calculate the difference in days between two dates:

excel
=DATEDIF("2024-05-26", "2024-06-10", "D")

This formula will return 15, indicating that there are 15 days between May 26, 2024, and June 10, 2024.

You can also calculate the difference in years or months. For example:

excel
=DATEDIF("1990-01-01", "2024-05-26", "Y")

This formula will return the number of years between January 1, 1990, and May 26, 2024.

Similarly:

excel
=DATEDIF("1990-01-01", "2024-05-26", "M")

This formula will return the number of months between January 1, 1990, and May 26, 2024.

Please note that the DATEDIF function may return unexpected results if the end_date is before the start_date or if the unit parameter is not specified correctly.