Date Difference, How to return a positive, negative, or 0 number in a formula

[nhbartos]

Hi folks...
Novice here...

I need help with a formula. I am looking for the difference in days, between dates, that can EITHER return a positive or negative number.

Say I have a "goal" date of 5/30/15, and the goal is obtained before the "goal" date, say 5/28/15. I would like to return a -2 value.
AND, I would like a 0 returned if the goal is met on the goal day of 5/30/15.
AND, I would like a 2 returned, for example if the goal date is exceeded on 6/1/15.

Is there a way to do this in one formula?

 

[bbott]

Welcome to the board.

Assuming your goal date is in A1 and the obtained date is in B1:

=B1-A1

Excel stores dates as whole numbers. Just make sure that the cell that contains the formula is formatted as general, not as date.

 

[nhbartos]

That worked. Was I overcomplicating it?

Thanks!

 

[bbott]

That worked. Was I overcomplicating it?

Thanks!

You're welcome. Just remember that dates in Excel are whole numbers starting from 1/1/1900. Using your example dates, 5/30/15 is 42154 and 5/28/15 is 42152. So 42152 - 42154 = -2. Dates are easy but times start to get complicated.