Microsoft Excel is a versatile and widely used tool for managing and analyzing data. A common requirement for businesses and individuals is to calculate the number of months between two dates or determine the current month. In this article, we will show you several methods to help you calculate months in Excel.

1. Calculating Months Between Two Dates

In order to calculate the number of months between two dates in Excel, you can use the DATEDIF function. This function calculates the difference between two dates according to a specified unit such as days, months, or years.

Here is the syntax for the DATEDIF function:

“`

DATEDIF(start_date, end_date, “unit”)

“`

To calculate months between two dates, use the following formula:

“`

=DATEDIF(A2, B2, “m”)

“`

In this example, ‘A2’ refers to the cell containing the start date and ‘B2’ refers to the cell containing the end date. The result will display the number of months between these two dates.

2. Calculating Months Using EDATE Function

Another way to calculate months in Excel is by using the EDATE function. This function returns a date that is a specified number of months before or after a given date.

Here’s how you can use this function:
“`

=EDATE(start_date, number_of_months)
“`

For instance, if you want to find out what date is six months after January 1, 2021:
“`

=EDATE(“1/1/2021”, 6)
“`

The result will show July 1, 2021.

3. Extracting Month from a Specific Date

There might be scenarios when you just need to extract the month from a given date without calculating any differences. In this case, you can use the MONTH function.

Here’s an example of how to use the MONTH function:
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=MONTH(date)
“`

If you want to extract the month from a date in cell A1, you can use the following formula:
“`

=MONTH(A1)
“`

This will return the month as a numeric value, with January being 1 and December being 12.

4. Formatting Dates to Display Month Names

To display month names instead of numbers, you can apply custom formatting or use the TEXT function. Here’s how:

Custom Formatting:

– Right-click on the cell containing the month number.

– Select Format Cells.

– In the Number tab, select Custom.

– Type “mmmm” for full month names or “mmm” for abbreviated month names.

– Click OK.

Using TEXT Function:

“`

=TEXT(date, “mmmm”)

“`

For example, to display the full name of the month from a date in cell A1:

“`

=TEXT(A1, “mmmm”)

“`

In conclusion, Excel provides multiple ways to calculate months between dates, extract and display them as per your needs. With these handy functions and techniques, managing dates in Excel becomes significantly easier for any user.