DATE

Returns the serial number of a particular date. For more information about serial numbers, see NOW.

Syntax

DATE(year,month,day)

Year   is a number from 1900 to 9999 in Microsoft Excel for Windows or 1904 to 9999 in Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh.

Month   is a number representing the month of the year. If month is greater than 12, then month adds that number of months to the first month in the year specified. For example, DATE(90,14,2) returns the serial number representing February 2, 1991.

Day   is a number representing the day of the month. If day is greater than the number of days in the month specified, then day adds that number of days to the first day in the month. For example, DATE(91,1,35) returns the serial number representing February 4, 1991.

Remarks

• Microsoft Excel for Windows and Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh use different date systems as their default. For more information, see NOW.
• The DATE function is most useful in formulas where year, month, and day are formulas, not constants.

Examples

Using the 1900 date system (the default in Microsoft Excel for Windows), DATE(91, 1, 1) equals 33239, the serial number corresponding to January 1, 1991.

Using the 1904 date system (the default in Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh), DATE(91, 1, 1) equals 31777, the serial number corresponding to January 1, 1991.