How to count working days between two dates in Excel
Formula (Excel and Google Sheets)
=NETWORKDAYS(B2,C2,$F$2:$F$3)Use =NETWORKDAYS(start, end, holidays). It counts Monday to Friday, both ends included, and skips any dates listed as holidays.
- Result on the example
- one result per row in
D2, filled down toD5 - Works in
- Every current version
- Google Sheets
- Same formula
See it work
The formula is already in D2, filled down to D5. Change any input and the result updates, or edit the formula to experiment.
How it works
NETWORKDAYS counts the weekdays between two dates, including both the start and the end, and subtracts any weekday that appears in the holiday list. The holiday range is locked with $ so every row uses the same list.
=NETWORKDAYS(B2,C2,$F$2:$F$3)Result10
B25/4/2026The value in B2.
C25/15/2026The value in C2.
$F$2:$F$32 rows × 1 col: 5/25/2026, 7/3/2026A range: 2 cells in one column.
NETWORKDAYS(B2,C2,$F$2:$F$3)10NETWORKDAYS: Weekdays between two dates, inclusive.- start_date
B25/4/2026 - end_date
C25/15/2026 - holidays
$F$2:$F$32 rows × 1 col: 5/25/2026, 7/3/2026
- start_date
In Google Sheets
The same formula works in Google Sheets: =NETWORKDAYS(B2,C2,$F$2:$F$3). We ran it in Google Sheets mode on the same data and it returns the same results.
Other ways to do it
Each one was run on the same example sheet.
| Formula | Result | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| =NETWORKDAYS(B2,C2) | 10, 10, 10…Different result | Without the holiday list, every weekday counts. Holidays are counted as working days. |
Common mistakes
- Both ends count: a task from Monday to Friday of the same week is 5 days, not 4.
- Holidays that fall on weekends make no difference, since weekends are already skipped.
- Keep the holiday list in cells (or a named range) so it's easy to update each year.
Try it yourself
Same data, empty answer cell. Your formula is graded instantly, then re-checked on changed data, so a typed-in number won't pass.
Count working days between two dates
D2, count the working days (Monday to Friday) from start to end, leaving out the holidays in F2:F3. Fill down to D5.Questions
How do I add working days to a date?
Use WORKDAY: =WORKDAY(B2,10,$F$2:$F$3) returns the date 10 working days later.
My weekend is Friday and Saturday. What do I use?
NETWORKDAYS.INTL with weekend code 7.
Checked by running on 2026-10-29: every formula and result on this page was calculated by the Spreadsheet Practice formula engine, in both Excel and Google Sheets modes.