date() what is used for?

[lezawang]

Hi
I am reading the article below. I know how to use Date() but I really can not see any use or befit of this function. The author gave some examples but again I do not see any use of these examples. Can you please give me examples where I really need to use date() function. Thank you so much.


<code style="font-family: "Courier new"; white-space: pre-wrap; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-weight: 600;">=DATE(2015, 5, 20)</code> - returns a serial number corresponding to 20-May-2015.
<code style="font-family: "Courier new"; white-space: pre-wrap; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-weight: 600;">=DATE(YEAR(TODAY()), MONTH(TODAY()), 1)</code> - returns the first day of the current year and month.
<code style="font-family: "Courier new"; white-space: pre-wrap; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-weight: 600;">=DATE(2015, 5, 20)-5</code> - subtracts 5 days from May 20, 2015.

https://www.ablebits.com/office-addins-blog/2015/06/10/excel-date-functions/

 

[steve the fish]

I use it all the time. One of the main uses i see is there is no abiguity to its use. In the UK if i see 1/2/18 its the 1st of February 2018. In the US its the 2nd Jan 2018. With DATE there is no problem. Its also useful in lots and lots of different date formulae where you want to place an actual date in the formula and not use a cell reference that refers to a date.

 

[shaowu459]

You have a date "2018-3-21" in A1, what's the date after 457 days?

=date(year(a1),month(a1),day(a1)+457)

after 34 month?

=date(year(a1),month(a1)+34,day(a1))

after 45 years?

=date(year(a1)+45,month(a1),day(a1))

after 4 years 5 month and 7 days?

=date(year(a1)+4,month(a1)+5,day(a1)+7)

 

[JLGWhiz]

It simply returns a date in the short date format of your system and the examples are to show you different methods that might be used to do that.

 

[shaowu459]

Another example, how to identify whether a year is a leap year? you can use following formula(year number stored in A1):

=IF(month(A1,2,29)=2,"Leap year","Not a leap year")

 

[Scott Huish]

I think you mean:
=IF(MONTH(DATE(A1,2,29))=2,"Leap year","Not a leap year")

 

[shaowu459]

right, thanks

 

[Scott Huish]

The Date Function is also useful when constructing a date when the DAY, MONTH, and YEAR are in different cells

Excel 2010
	A	B	C	D
1	DAY	MONTH	YEAR	Date
2	17	1	2018	1/17/2018
Sheet1

Cell Formulas
Range	Formula
D2	=DATE(C2,B2,A2)