DATEVALUE

See Also

Returns the serial number of the date represented by date_text. Use DATEVALUE to convert a date represented by text to a serial number.

Syntax

DATEVALUE(date_text)

Date_text is text that represents a date in a Microsoft Excel date format. For example, "1/30/2008" or "30-Jan-2008" are text strings within quotation marks that represent dates. Using the default date system in Excel for Windows, date_text must represent a date from January 1, 1900, to December 31, 9999. Using the default date system in Excel for the Macintosh, date_text must represent a date from January 1, 1904, to December 31, 9999. DATEVALUE returns the #VALUE! error value if date_text is out of this range.

If the year portion of date_text is omitted, DATEVALUE uses the current year from your computer's built-in clock. Time information in date_text is ignored.

Remarks

Excel stores dates as sequential serial numbers so they can be used in calculations. By default, January 1, 1900 is serial number 1, and January 1, 2008 is serial number 39448 because it is 39,448 days after January 1, 1900. Excel for the Macintosh uses a different date system as its default.
Most functions automatically convert date values to serial numbers.

Example

The example may be easier to understand if you copy it to a blank worksheet.

Show How?

Create a blank workbook or worksheet.
Select the example in the Help topic. Do not select the row or column headers.

Selecting an example from Help
Press CTRL+C.
In the worksheet, select cell A1, and press CTRL+V.
To switch between viewing the results and viewing the formulas that return the results, press CTRL+` (grave accent), or on the Tools menu, point to Formula Auditing, and then click Formula Auditing Mode.

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A	B
Formula	Description (Result)
=DATEVALUE("8/22/2008")	Serial number of the text date, using the 1900 date system (39682)
=DATEVALUE("22-AUG-2008")	Serial number of the text date, using the 1900 date system (39682)
=DATEVALUE("2008/02/23")	Serial number of the text date, using the 1900 date system (39501)
=DATEVALUE("5-JUL")	Serial number of the text date, using the 1900 date system, and assuming the computer's built-in clock is set to 2008 (39634)

Note To view the number as a date, select the cell and click Cells on the Format menu. Click the Number tab, and then click Date in the Category box.