Syntax
Because a date is just a number counting days since a fixed starting point, =A2+7 reliably means "seven days after A2" — but adding whole months or years that way breaks on months of different lengths, which is what EDATE is for. NETWORKDAYS counts weekdays between two dates, excluding weekends (and holidays if you supply a list). DATEDIF is a genuinely useful formula that Excel's autocomplete doesn't suggest as you type it, but it still works — it's just left out of the official function list.
Examples
Returns the date 30 days after whatever date is in A2 — a simple due-date or expiry calculation.
Adds exactly 3 calendar months to A2, correctly handling different month lengths (something +90 days won't do reliably).
Counts business days (Monday–Friday) between two dates — handy for delivery estimates or project timelines.
Returns the number of full years between two dates — useful for age or tenure calculations.
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