Change Date Format in Excel

Introduction to Date Formats in Excel

Excel provides a variety of tools and functions to manage and manipulate dates. One common task is changing the date format to suit specific needs or preferences. The date format in Excel can be adjusted to display dates in different ways, such as changing the order of the day, month, and year, or including the time. In this article, we will explore how to change the date format in Excel, including the use of formulas and the implementation of custom date formats.

Understanding Date Formats

Before diving into the process of changing date formats, it’s essential to understand how Excel stores and displays dates. Excel stores dates as serial numbers, starting from January 1, 1900, which is represented as 1. Each subsequent day is represented by an increment of 1. The display of dates, however, can vary based on the format applied to the cells containing the dates. Excel offers a range of predefined date formats that can be easily applied to cells.

Changing Date Formats Using the Format Cells Option

To change the date format in Excel, you can use the “Format Cells” option. Here’s a step-by-step guide: - Select the cells containing the dates you want to format. - Right-click on the selected cells and choose “Format Cells” from the context menu. - In the Format Cells dialog box, click on the “Number” tab. - Select “Custom” from the Category list. - In the “Type” field, you can enter a custom date format code. For example, to display the date as “dd-mm-yyyy”, you would enter dd-mm-yyyy. - Click “OK” to apply the new format.

Common Date Format Codes

Excel uses specific codes to represent different parts of a date: - d or dd for the day of the month (1-31). - m or mm for the month of the year (1-12). - mmm for the abbreviated month name (Jan-Dec). - mmmm for the full month name (January-December). - y or yy for the year in two digits (00-99). - yyyy for the year in four digits (1900-9999).

Using Formulas to Change Date Formats

While Excel’s built-in formatting options are powerful, there are times when you might need to use formulas to manipulate or change date formats. The TEXT function is particularly useful for this purpose. The syntax of the TEXT function is TEXT(date, format), where “date” is the date you want to format, and “format” is the desired format.

💡 Note: When using the `TEXT` function, the result is a text string, not a date. This means you cannot use the result in date-based calculations.

Custom Date Formats

Excel allows you to create custom date formats by combining different format codes. For example, to display the date as “Day of the week, Day Month Year”, you could use the format code dddd, d mmmm yyyy. Here are some examples of custom date formats and their effects:

Format Code	Example Output
dd-mm-yyyy	12-08-2023
mmmm d, yyyy	August 12, 2023
dddd, d mmmm yyyy	Saturday, 12 August 2023

Best Practices for Working with Dates in Excel

- Always ensure that your system date settings are consistent with the date format you are using in Excel. - When sharing worksheets internationally, consider using the ISO date format (yyyy-mm-dd) to avoid confusion. - Use Excel’s built-in date functions, such as TODAY() and DATE, to insert and manipulate dates dynamically.

In summary, changing the date format in Excel is a straightforward process that can be accomplished through the “Format Cells” dialog or by using formulas like the TEXT function. Understanding the different date format codes and how to combine them to create custom formats can greatly enhance your ability to work with dates in Excel.

To recap, the key points include understanding how Excel stores dates, knowing how to apply predefined and custom date formats, and being aware of the best practices for working with dates in an international context.