Forum Discussion

Copper Contributor

Feb 02, 2023

Solved

datedif function

Hi I am using a MacBook Air. When trying to use the datedif function to subtract two dates, it prevents me from selecting the second date, it returns the following error "There's a problem with th...

Excel on Mac

Riny_van_Eekelen
Feb 02, 2023
Rajen66 On a MBA myself. No problems with DATEDIF. But I wonder why you want to use that function at all. It's not an official Excel function and exists only for compatibility reasons with older spreadsheet programs (like Lotus-1-2-3).

If the earlier date is in A1 and the later date in B1 you can just use:
=B1-A1 and format the cell as a number, in stead of =DATEDIF(A1,B1,"d")

Riny_van_Eekelen

Platinum Contributor

Feb 02, 2023

Rajen66 On a MBA myself. No problems with DATEDIF. But I wonder why you want to use that function at all. It's not an official Excel function and exists only for compatibility reasons with older spreadsheet programs (like Lotus-1-2-3).

If the earlier date is in A1 and the later date in B1 you can just use:

=B1-A1 and format the cell as a number, in stead of =DATEDIF(A1,B1,"d")

sandipand
Copper Contributor
Aug 31, 2023
Riny_van_Eekelen What If I want to calculate the months' gap between two dates instead of days?
- SergeiBaklan
  Diamond Contributor
  Aug 31, 2023
  sandipand
  
  Or
  
  =12*( YEAR(B1)-YEAR(A1) ) + MONTH(B1)-MONTH(A1)-1 + ( DAY(B1) >= DAY(A1) )
- HansVogelaar
  MVP
  Aug 31, 2023
  sandipand
  
  Use "m" instead of "d". With start date in A1 and end date in B1:
  
  =DATEDIF(A1, B1, "m")
  
  or if you use comma as decimal separator:
  
  =DATEDIF(A1; B1; "m")
Rajen66
Copper Contributor
Feb 02, 2023
Hi Riny

You are quite correct, I found that out as well and switched over to the method you proposed. Goodluck with your MBA. I completed mine in 2010 and it really opened a different dimension on finding solutions to problems.
- Riny_van_Eekelen
  Platinum Contributor
  Feb 02, 2023
  Rajen66 MBA as in Mac Book Air 🙂