Calculating months

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rebecca
  • Start date Start date
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Rebecca

Hi,

I have created a waiting list database in Excel where I
need to calculate how many months someone has been on the
waiting list from today's date (and then from the next
date someone acesses the workbook..if that can be done)
SO basically I need a formula that automatically puts in
today's date with mm/dd/yy and calculates the difference
in months from the date they were put on the waiting list.

Can anyone help???
 
Hi Rebecca!

Take a look at the mysterious DATEDIF function:

Description:
Calculates differences between two dates in terms of specified units
and assumptions

Syntax:
=DATEDIF(start_date,end_date,unit)

Start_date:
The first date as an acceptable date in inverted commas (discouraged)
or as a serial number or formula / function that returns a date serial
number

End_date:
The last date as an acceptable date in inverted commas (discouraged)
or as a serial number or formula / function that returns a date serial
number.

Unit:
"y" = years; "m" = months; "d" = days; "md" = days ignoring months and
years; "ym" = complete months after deducting years; "yd" = days after
deducting complete years. (Note: " " are required).

For more details on use see:
http://www.cpearson.com/excel/datedif.htm
 
Try this formula (you must have analysis toolpack installed)

=ROUNDDOWN(YEARFRAC(A1,B1,1)*12,0)

That will give you the number or whole months that have passed. If yo
want number of months *plus* the fraction, do this:

YEARFRAC(A1,B1,1)*12

Let me know how it goes.

Stephani
 
Don, Thanks for the help; however I am fairly new at the
more complicated functions. So, I'm not sure what exactly
to put in the two inside brackets of the formula (between
TODAY and the comma)

The earlier date is in B2 and is formatted in the date
form of 6/22/2003. The latest date is in C@ and would be
today's date. Actually, it the formula would have include
whatever the current date is. Then the difference in
months would be in D2.
The idea is so that When I open up the workbook, I know
how long someone has been waiting for a doctor since I
entered their application info.

Any further help would be greatly appreciated!!
 
Thanks Don!!
I've now figured it out using the serial code, but is
there a way to have it calculate with the code, but
display the actual date instead??
 
Nothing. That is part of the today function. try =today and then try
=today() to see what I mean
Look in HELP index for TODAY
 
What did you do?
The formula I sent will show the number of months assuming your cell g3 is a
date.
 
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