NETWORKDAYS function
NETWORKDAYS counts the working days between two dates, Monday to Friday, including both the start and end date. Add a range of holiday dates and it skips those too. Use it for project timelines, SLA tracking and payroll periods.
- Available in
- Every current version
- Category
- Date functions
- Returns
- A whole number of working days.
- Google Sheets
- Works the same in Google Sheets.
Syntax
=NETWORKDAYS(start_date, end_date, [holidays])
| Argument | Required? | What it is |
|---|---|---|
start_date | Required | The first day of the period. |
end_date | Required | The last day of the period. Both days count if they are weekdays. |
holidays | Optional | An optional range of dates to exclude, such as public holidays. |
Examples
Each result below is calculated from the sample sheet by our formula engine, the same one that grades the practice.
| Cell | Formula | Result | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| G2 | =NETWORKDAYS(B2,C2) | 21 | 21 weekdays in the audit window |
| G3 | =NETWORKDAYS(B2,C2,E2:E4) | 19 | 19 once Thanksgiving and the day after are removed |
| G4 | =NETWORKDAYS(B3,C3,E2:E4) | 22 | December has 22 working days after Christmas Day |
Try it live
This is the sample sheet. Change any number or text, or edit a formula, and the results update.
Show the sample data as a table
| Project | Start | End | Holidays | Result | ||
| Site audit | 11/2/2026 | 11/30/2026 | 11/26/2026 | 21 | ||
| Migration | 12/1/2026 | 12/31/2026 | 11/27/2026 | 19 | ||
| 12/25/2026 | 22 |
Practice NETWORKDAYS
From lesson 18, EDATE, EOMONTH & NETWORKDAYS. Graded instantly, then re-checked on changed data.
Business days
F2, count the weekdays from each start date to its end date. Fill down to F6.Common mistakes
| What you see | Why, and how to fix it |
|---|---|
| One day more than expected | NETWORKDAYS counts both the start and the end date. Subtract 1 if the start day shouldn't count. |
| Holidays aren't skipped | The holiday cells hold text, not dates, or the range moved when you filled down. Use real dates and lock the range: $E$2:$E$4. |
| Your weekend isn't Saturday and Sunday | NETWORKDAYS assumes a Saturday–Sunday weekend. NETWORKDAYS.INTL lets you choose different weekend days. |
Tips
- Keep holidays in one named range or table column and reference it everywhere, so updating the list fixes every formula.
Questions
How do I count business days between two dates in Excel?
Use =NETWORKDAYS(start_date,end_date). Add a holiday range as the third argument to exclude public holidays.
Does NETWORKDAYS include the start date?
Yes. Both the start and end date are counted when they fall on weekdays.
How is NETWORKDAYS different from WORKDAY?
NETWORKDAYS counts the working days between two dates. WORKDAY goes the other way: it returns the date a number of working days away.
Lessons that use NETWORKDAYS
Last reviewed October 2026. Every example result on this page is calculated live by the Spreadsheet Practice formula engine.