Calculate Business Days Between Two Dates in Excel (NETWORKDAYS)
Excel's NETWORKDAYS function makes it easy to count working days between two dates, automatically excluding weekends. You can also exclude custom holidays.
Basic Formula: NETWORKDAYS
=NETWORKDAYS(start_date, end_date)Example: Days between Jan 1 and Jan 31, 2026 (excluding weekends):
=NETWORKDAYS("2026-01-01", "2026-01-31") → 22Exclude Holidays Too
Add a list of holiday dates in a range (e.g., E2:E10) and include it as the third argument:
=NETWORKDAYS(A2, B2, $E$2:$E$10)Custom Weekend Days: NETWORKDAYS.INTL
If your work week is different (e.g., Sunday–Thursday), use NETWORKDAYS.INTL:
=NETWORKDAYS.INTL(A2, B2, "0000011")The 7-character string represents Mon–Sun. "1" = weekend, "0" = workday. "0000011" means Sat+Sun are weekends.
Count Business Days Excluding Only Specific Days
| Weekend Code | Days Off |
|---|---|
| 1 | Saturday, Sunday |
| 2 | Sunday, Monday |
| 11 | Sunday only |
| 12 | Monday only |
Add Business Days to a Date (WORKDAY)
=WORKDAY(start_date, days, [holidays])Example: What date is 10 business days after today?
=WORKDAY(TODAY(), 10)FAQ
What is the Excel formula to calculate business days?
=NETWORKDAYS(start_date, end_date) counts workdays including both start and end dates.
Does NETWORKDAYS include the start and end date?
Yes, both dates are included in the count if they fall on a workday.
How do I exclude holidays from NETWORKDAYS?
Add your holiday dates as a cell range in the third argument: =NETWORKDAYS(A2, B2, holidays_range).
For more date formulas, see our Excel Age Calculator and formula blog.