DAYS Function (LibreOffice Calc)

• Returns the number of days between two dates
• Accepts real dates or serial numbers
• Supports text dates when converted with DATEVALUE
• Returns positive or negative values depending on order

It is designed to be simple, predictable, and ideal for day-based calculations.

DAYS(end_date; start_date)

Arguments

• end_date:
  The later date (or the date you are counting to).

• start_date:
  The earlier date (or the date you are counting from).

Days between two dates

=DAYS("2024-05-10"; "2024-05-01")

Returns 9.

Using cell references

=DAYS(B1; A1)

Negative result (if dates reversed)

=DAYS("2024-05-01"; "2024-05-10")

Returns -9.

Using DATEVALUE for text dates

=DAYS(DATEVALUE(A1); DATEVALUE(B1))

Days until a deadline

=DAYS(A1; TODAY())

Days since a start date

=DAYS(TODAY(); A1)

Days between dynamic month boundaries

=DAYS(EOMONTH(A1;0); EOMONTH(A1;-1))

Days in the current month

=DAYS(EOMONTH(TODAY();0); DATE(YEAR(TODAY()); MONTH(TODAY()); 1)) + 1

Days between fiscal year boundaries

=DAYS(DATE(YEAR(A1)+1;4;1); DATE(YEAR(A1);4;1))

Days between two timestamps (ignoring time)

=DAYS(INT(A1); INT(B1))

Days between ISO date strings

=DAYS(DATEVALUE("2024-03-15"); DATEVALUE("2024-01-01"))

Days between Excel serial dates imported as text

=DAYS(DATE(1899;12;30)+VALUE(A1); DATE(1899;12;30)+VALUE(B1))

DAYS returns a number, not a date

=TYPE(DAYS("2024-01-02"; "2024-01-01")) → 1 (number)

DAYS accepts:

• Real dates
• Serial numbers
• Text dates (if recognized)
• DATEVALUE outputs

DAYS does not require end_date ≥ start_date

Negative values are allowed.

DAYS ignores time components

=DAYS("2024-01-02 23:59"; "2024-01-01 00:01") → 1

Invalid text → Err:502

DAYS of an error → error propagates

• Use DAYS for simple day differences
• Use DATEDIF for mixed-unit intervals (Y/M/D)
• Use NETWORKDAYS for business-day differences
• Use DATEVALUE to normalize text dates
• Strip time with INT() when needed

• Use DATEDIF for years/months/days
• Use NETWORKDAYS for business days
• Use WORKDAY for date offsets
• Use YEARFRAC for fractional-year differences
• Use DATE for constructing comparison dates

By mastering DAYS and its companion functions, you can build powerful, accurate, and fully dynamic date‑interval workflows in LibreOffice Calc.