Spreadsheet Practice

How to convert a Julian date (YYDDD) to a regular date in Excel

Formula (Excel and Google Sheets)

=DATE(2000+INT(A2/1000),1,MOD(A2,1000))

Split the year and the day number with INT and MOD, then let DATE count the days: =DATE(2000+INT(A2/1000),1,MOD(A2,1000)).

Result on the example
one result per row in B2, filled down to B6
Works in
Every current version
Google Sheets
Same formula

See it work

The formula is already in B2, filled down to B6. Change any input and the result updates, or edit the formula to experiment.

How it works

INT(A2/1000) is the two-digit year and MOD(A2,1000) the day of the year. DATE accepts a day number larger than the month has and rolls it forward, so day 64 of January 2026 is March 5.

=DATE(2000+INT(A2/1000),1,MOD(A2,1000))

Result1/1/2026 (46023)

  1. A226001

    The value in A2.

  2. A2/100026.001

    The / operator divides.

  3. INT(A2/1000)26

    INT: Rounds down to the nearest integer.

    • numberA2/100026.001
  4. 2000+INT(A2/1000)2026

    The + operator adds.

  5. MOD(A2,1000)1

    MOD: Remainder after division.

    • numberA226001
    • divisor1000
  6. DATE(2000+INT(A2/1000),1,MOD(A2,1000))1/1/2026 (46023)

    DATE: Builds a date from parts.

    • year2000+INT(A2/1000)2026
    • month1
    • dayMOD(A2,1000)1

In Google Sheets

The same formula works in Google Sheets: =DATE(2000+INT(A2/1000),1,MOD(A2,1000)). We ran it in Google Sheets mode on the same data and it returns the same results.

Other ways to do it

Each one was run on the same example sheet.

FormulaResultWhen to use it
=DATE(2000+LEFT(A2,2),1,RIGHT(A2,3))1/1/2026, 3/5/2026, 12/31/2025…The text version. It breaks for years 2000 to 2009, where 06001 is stored as 6001.

Common mistakes

  • Years before 2000 need 1900 instead. With a mix, use a cutoff: DATE(IF(INT(A2/1000)>50,1900,2000)+INT(A2/1000),1,MOD(A2,1000)).
  • Julian dates stored as text with a leading zero work with LEFT and RIGHT but not with INT and MOD until converted: use --A2.

Try it yourself

Same data, empty answer cell. Your formula is graded instantly, then re-checked on changed data, so a typed-in number won't pass.

Convert a Julian date (YYDDD) to a regular date

In B2, convert the five-digit Julian date (YYDDD) to a regular date, and fill down to B6.

Questions

How do I convert a JD Edwards CYYDDD date?

=DATE(1900+INT(A2/1000),1,MOD(A2,1000)): 126064 becomes March 5, 2026.

How do I convert YYYYDDD?

=DATE(INT(A2/1000),1,MOD(A2,1000)).

Checked by running on 2026-10-30: every formula and result on this page was calculated by the Spreadsheet Practice formula engine, in both Excel and Google Sheets modes.