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Workdays Between Dates

Count business days (Monday to Friday) between two dates, choosing whether the start and end days count and skipping any holidays you list.

What this tool does

Count business days (Monday to Friday) between two dates, choosing whether the start and end days count and skipping any holidays you list. You fill in these fields: Start date, End date, and Holidays to skip (optional). Tick boxes adjust the calculation. Some fields are optional. It shows business days, calendar days counted, weekend days, and holidays skipped.

Inputs

  • Start date: A date.
  • End date: A date. If this is before the start date, the count is shown as a negative number.
  • Count the start day: A tick box, ticked to start. When ticked, the start date counts if it is a weekday and not a holiday.
  • Count the end day: A tick box, ticked to start. When ticked, the end date counts if it is a weekday and not a holiday.
  • Holidays to skip (optional): Longer text, up to 5000 characters. Dates as YYYY-MM-DD, separated by commas, spaces or new lines. Only a holiday that falls on a weekday inside the range is subtracted.

How to use

  1. Pick a date for "Start date".
  2. Pick a date for "End date".
  3. Tick "Count the start day" if it applies.
  4. Tick "Count the end day" if it applies.
  5. Type the holidays to skip (optional).
  6. Read the result: business days, calendar days counted, weekend days, and holidays skipped. It appears once every required field has a valid value.

Worked examples

Example 1. Inputs:

  • Start date: December 23, 2024
  • End date: December 27, 2024
  • Count the start day: Yes
  • Count the end day: Yes
  • Holidays to skip (optional): "2024-12-25, 2024-12-26"

Results:

  • Business days: 3
  • Calendar days counted: 5
  • Weekend days: 0
  • Holidays skipped: 2

How this is worked out: Dec 23 2024 is a Monday, so Mon to Fri is 5 weekdays. Both holidays (Wed 25, Thu 26) fall on weekdays in the range: 5 - 2 = 3.

Example 2. Inputs:

  • Start date: July 1, 2024
  • End date: July 7, 2024
  • Count the start day: Yes
  • Count the end day: Yes
  • Holidays to skip (optional): "2024-07-04 2024-07-06 2024-07-04, 2024-12-25"

Results:

  • Business days: 4
  • Calendar days counted: 7
  • Weekend days: 2
  • Holidays skipped: 1

How this is worked out: Jul 1 2024 is a Monday, so Jul 1 to 7 is one full week with 5 weekdays. Thu Jul 4 is listed twice and is subtracted once; Sat Jul 6 is a weekend day so it is not subtracted; Dec 25 is outside the range. 5 - 1 = 4.

Example 3. Inputs:

  • Start date: February 1, 2023
  • End date: February 10, 2023
  • Count the start day: Yes
  • Count the end day: Yes

Results:

  • Business days: 8
  • Calendar days counted: 10
  • Weekend days: 2
  • Holidays skipped: 0

How this is worked out: Feb 1 2023 is a Wednesday. Counting both ends: Wed 1, Thu 2, Fri 3, then Mon 6, Tue 7, Wed 8, Thu 9, Fri 10 = 8 weekdays (Sat 4, Sun 5 skipped). Same as spreadsheet NETWORKDAYS. 2023-01-01 was a Sunday, so 2023-02-01 (31 days later, 31 mod 7 = 3) is a Wednesday. Days counted: Wed 1, Thu 2, Fri 3, Sat 4, Sun 5, Mon 6, Tue 7, Wed 8, Thu 9, Fri 10. Weekdays: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 = 8. Calendar days 10, weekend days 4 and 5 = 2.

Example 4. Inputs:

  • Start date: January 1, 2024
  • End date: January 1, 2024
  • Count the start day: Yes
  • Count the end day: Yes

Results:

  • Business days: 1
  • Calendar days counted: 1
  • Weekend days: 0
  • Holidays skipped: 0

How this is worked out: Jan 1 2024 is a Monday. Start and end are the same weekday and both ends are counted, so the range holds 1 business day.

Where this comes from

Count the business days between two dates. Every Monday to Friday from the start date to the end date is counted, less any listed holiday that falls on one of them. The start day and the end day are each counted unless left out. With the dates the other way round the same days are counted and the count is negative. Source: The Gregorian calendar: month lengths, the leap year rule (every fourth year, except century years not divisible by 400) and the seven-day week.

Limitations

  • The weekend is always Saturday and Sunday. Other working weeks are not supported.
  • Holidays come only from the dates you type in; none are built in.
  • Counts whole calendar days and ignores time zones and the time of day. Half days and part-time schedules are not counted.
  • Holidays to skip (optional) longer than 5,000 characters is not accepted.

FAQs

Q: Are the start and end dates counted?
A: Yes, each is counted when it is a weekday and not one of the holidays you listed, the same convention as the NETWORKDAYS spreadsheet function: February 1 to February 10, 2023 is 8 business days. Where the page offers a box for the start day or the end day, untick it to leave that day out.
Q: Which days count as the weekend?
A: Saturday and Sunday. Other weekend patterns are not offered.
Q: How do I skip public holidays?
A: Type them into the holidays box as YYYY-MM-DD dates, separated by commas, spaces or new lines. No holiday calendar is built in, so you supply the dates. A holiday outside the range, on a weekend or listed twice is subtracted at most once and only when it removes a weekday.
Q: What if the end date is before the start date?
A: The same days are counted as if the dates were the other way round, and the business day count is shown as a negative number with a note.
Q: Do clock changes in spring or autumn affect the count?
A: No. Dates are counted as calendar days, not as hours, so a range that crosses a daylight saving change is counted the same as any other.

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