If you work with data in Excel, you may need to count the number of dates that occur in a particular year. This task is easy to accomplish using Excel’s built-in functions. In this article, we’ll show you how to count the number of dates in a given year in Excel, using different methods.
Understanding the Problem
Before we get started, let’s first understand the problem. Suppose you have a large dataset that contains various dates, and you need to know how many of these dates fall within a specific year. For example, you might want to know how many orders were placed in 2021 or how many employees joined the company in 2019. To solve this problem, we need to use Excel’s functions.
Method 1: Using the COUNTIFS Function
The COUNTIFS function is an excellent way to count the number of dates that meet specific criteria. To count the number of dates in a given year using this function, we’ll follow these steps:
- Open Excel and select a cell where you want to display the result.
- Enter the following formula in the cell:
=COUNTIFS(A1:A100,"<1/1/2022",A1:A100,">12/31/2021")Where A1:A100 is the range of cells that contains the dates.
- Press Enter to calculate the result.
This formula counts the number of dates that are greater than December 31, 2020, and less than January 1, 2022. You can change the year in the formula to count the number of dates in any year you want.
Method 2: Using the YEAR Function
Another way to count the number of dates in a given year is to use the YEAR function. This function extracts the year from a date and returns it as a four-digit number. We can use this function to create a criteria range for the COUNTIF function. Here’s how to do it:
- Select a cell where you want to display the result.
- Enter the following formula in the cell:
=COUNTIF(YEAR(A1:A100),2021)Where A1:A100 is the range of cells that contains the dates.
- Press Enter to calculate the result.
This formula counts the number of dates that have the year 2021. You can change the year in the formula to count the number of dates in any year you want.
Method 3: Using the FILTER Function
The FILTER function is a powerful tool that allows you to filter a range of cells based on specific criteria. We can use this function to filter the dates that fall within a particular year and then count the number of filtered cells. Here’s how to do it:
- Select a cell where you want to display the result.
- Enter the following formula in the cell:
=COUNTA(FILTER(A1:A100,YEAR(A1:A100)=2021))Where A1:A100 is the range of cells that contains the dates.
- Press Enter to calculate the result.
This formula filters the dates that have the year 2021 and then counts the number of filtered cells.
Conclusion
We’ve shown you three different methods to accomplish this task using built-in functions. The COUNTIFS function, YEAR function, and FILTER function all provide a quick and easy way to count the number of dates in a given year. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced Excel user, these methods will help you save time and improve your productivity.
