NETWORKDAYS.INTL function

NETWORKDAYS.INTL returns the count of working days between two dates, excluding weekends (customizable) and optional holidays.

=NETWORKDAYS.INTL(start_date, end_date, [weekend], [holidays])

Generate a NETWORKDAYS.INTL formula

Describe what you need. The generator will reach for NETWORKDAYS.INTL where NETWORKDAYS.INTL is the right tool, and tell you when it is not.

How to get a better answer
  • Name your columns by letter and by header: "column F (Net Value)" beats "the amount column".
  • State every condition, including the negatives — "not cancelled" changes the formula's shape.
  • Say where the data starts if it is not row 1, and whether it will grow.
  • Check the settings above match your spreadsheet: the wrong argument separator is a syntax error on your machine.

Arguments

How NETWORKDAYS.INTL reads its arguments
start_daterequiredend_daterequiredweekendoptionalholidaysoptionalNETWORKDAYS.INTL →
ArgumentRequiredDescription
start_dateRequiredA date or date serial number marking the first day; if later than end_date, the result is negative.
end_dateRequiredA date or date serial number marking the final day; if earlier than start_date, the result is negative.
weekendOptionalA number (1–7) or text string specifying weekend days; 1=Saturday–Sunday (default), 7=Friday–Saturday; text uses '1' for weekend, '0' for workday.
holidaysOptionalAn optional range of dates to exclude from the count (e.g., school breaks, public holidays); blank cells are ignored.

Returns

An integer representing the number of working days (including both start and end dates if they fall on working days).

Availability

Excel: All · Google Sheets: Supported

Worked examples

1. Count working days for an assignment deadline

StudentSubjectAssignmentStart DateDue Date
AlexMathMidterm2024-11-042024-11-15
=NETWORKDAYS.INTL(D2,E2)

Result: 10

From November 4 (Monday) to November 15 (Friday), excluding weekends (Nov 9–10, Nov 16–17), there are 10 working days. This counts the school days available for students to prepare.

2. Calculate grading time excluding holidays

StudentSubjectAssignmentGrade StartGrade EndScoreHolidays
JordanEnglishEssay2024-11-222024-12-13852024-11-28
2024-12-23
=NETWORKDAYS.INTL(D2,E2,1,G:G)

Result: 14

From November 22 to December 13, there are 14 working days after excluding Thanksgiving (Nov 28) and winter break (Dec 23). The weekend parameter 1 means Saturday–Sunday are off.

3. Track working days with custom weekend (Friday–Saturday off)

InstitutionSubjectAssignment StartAssignment EndScore
International SchoolMath2024-10-072024-10-2192
=NETWORKDAYS.INTL(C2,D2,7)

Result: 9

With weekend parameter 7, Friday and Saturday are off. From October 7–21, that's 9 working days (Sunday–Thursday only). Use this for schools or regions observing Friday–Saturday weekends.

Common errors

Which NETWORKDAYS.INTL error are you seeing?
NETWORKDAYS.INTL returned an error#VALUE!
Ensure dates are actual date values or properly formatted text (e.g., "2024-11-25"); wrap text in DATEVALUE() if needed, and confirm weekend is 1–7 or a valid pattern string.
#NUM!
Use weekend 1–7 for standard patterns, or a 7-character string of only '0' and '1' for custom patterns (e.g., "0111110" for Mon–Fri work).
#REF!
Verify the holidays range exists and points to valid cells; re-select the range or update the formula to a valid reference.
ErrorWhy it happensHow to fix it
#VALUE!A date argument (start_date or end_date) is text that cannot be interpreted as a valid date, or a non-numeric/invalid weekend pattern is supplied.Ensure dates are actual date values or properly formatted text (e.g., "2024-11-25"); wrap text in DATEVALUE() if needed, and confirm weekend is 1–7 or a valid pattern string.
#NUM!The weekend parameter is a number outside the range 1–7, or a text pattern string has invalid length or characters.Use weekend 1–7 for standard patterns, or a 7-character string of only '0' and '1' for custom patterns (e.g., "0111110" for Mon–Fri work).
#REF!The holidays range references a cell or range that has been deleted, moved, or is otherwise invalid.Verify the holidays range exists and points to valid cells; re-select the range or update the formula to a valid reference.

Tips and when to use something else

  • Use NETWORKDAYS (without _INTL) for simple Saturday–Sunday weekends; NETWORKDAYS.INTL gives more control for international schedules.
  • The weekend parameter accepts both numbers (1–7) and custom strings—e.g., "0111111" counts only Sunday as a non-working day (useful for many Middle Eastern schools).
  • Holidays should be a range or array; include all closure dates (public holidays, teacher in-service days, semester breaks) to get accurate working days.
  • If you need to count hours or minutes worked, not just days, consider DATEDIF with time units or calculate elapsed time with subtraction and formatting.

Related functions

DATEDIFReturns the number of time units (days, months, years) between two dates, useful for calculating durations, aging, or time-to-deadline.DATEVALUEDATEVALUE converts text strings representing dates into serial numbers Excel and Sheets recognize, enabling date calculations and sorting.DATEDATE returns a date serial number from year, month, and day arguments, enabling date construction from separate numeric components.WEEKDAYWEEKDAY returns the day of the week (1–7) for a given date, with customizable numbering systems (Sunday=1, Monday=1, or ISO 8601).DAYSDAYS returns the number of calendar days between two dates, with positive or negative result depending on date order.

Frequently asked questions

Why does NETWORKDAYS.INTL return a negative number?
If end_date is earlier than start_date, the function returns a negative count. Reorder your dates so start_date comes first, or wrap the result in ABS() to get the absolute value of days between them.
How do I specify a custom weekend pattern (e.g., only Sunday off)?
Use the weekend parameter with a 7-character string like "1000000", where each digit represents Monday–Sunday: '1' = weekend, '0' = workday. For Sunday-only off, use "0000001".
Do NETWORKDAYS.INTL calculations include the start and end dates?
Yes, both dates are included in the count if they fall on working days. If either date is a weekend or holiday, it is excluded from the count.
Can I use NETWORKDAYS.INTL to track multi-year assignments?
Yes, the function works across months and years seamlessly. For example, a project from 2024-11-01 to 2025-02-28 will count all working days in between, making it ideal for semester-long or year-long assignments.

Need a different formula?

The full generator is not scoped to one function — describe any spreadsheet problem and it will pick.

Open the formula generator

Reviewed 2026-09-17