Excel 365: Use Date & Time Functions

Course description

This course focuses on the use of Excel 365's built-in date and time functions to support time-based calculations and scheduling. The course begins with foundational functions such as TODAY and NOW, which return the current date or the current date and time respectively, updating automatically based on the system clock. Learners also explore the DAYS function to calculate the number of days between two dates, ideal for tracking intervals such as employee reviews or project durations. The course introduces NETWORKDAYS, which calculates the number of working days between two dates and can exclude weekends and user-defined holidays. This is particularly useful for workforce planning or determining time remaining in a fiscal period. The YEARFRAC function is demonstrated as a method to calculate the fractional number of years between two dates—helpful for analyzing tenure or generating prorated metrics. Another key function covered is DATEVALUE, which converts a text-formatted date into Excel’s internal serial number format, enabling the use of text-based dates in calculations and formulas. Each function is presented within practical use cases, highlighting how Excel handles date-related data and how these tools enhance accuracy and efficiency in managing timelines. This course provides the knowledge needed to perform dynamic, time-sensitive calculations in Excel, offering support for planning, reporting, and analysis tasks that rely on accurate date handling and comparison.

Course outline