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Excel date functions work reliably when the workbook distinguishes real date values from text that only looks like a date. Display format, locale and time assumptions can otherwise create misleading comparisons. For client schedules, establish the meaning of the date before using it to calculate deadlines or report progress.
Verify the input type and date interpretation
Check whether the source cells contain valid date values or imported text. Ambiguous day-and-month order needs an agreed format. Excel’s date-system settings can also matter when workbooks exchange values. Do not assume that changing the number format converts arbitrary text into a correctly interpreted date.
Construct and compare dates deliberately
Use supported functions such as DATE for known year, month and day inputs. Confirm boundaries and handling of invalid source components. Separate a calendar date from a timestamp and define relevant time assumptions. A comparison formula cannot decide the client’s working-day policy or holiday calendar without appropriate inputs and rules.
Distinguish a changing current date from a record
TODAY returns the current date according to Excel’s calculation behavior; it is not a permanent timestamp of when a record was created. Document calculation settings and the intended purpose. For an audit record, use an approved way to preserve the actual event date rather than a formula whose displayed date can change later.
A practical checklist
- Confirm real dates versus imported text.
- Agree locale and date-system assumptions.
- Use explicit year, month and day inputs where suitable.
- Separate dates, timestamps and working-day rules.
- Do not use TODAY as an immutable audit timestamp.
Worked example
Illustrative example: a project sheet builds a deadline from documented year, month and day inputs. A separate TODAY formula supports a current review view. The record of when approval happened is stored through the agreed process and does not change merely because the workbook recalculates tomorrow. No real client date is inferred from an ambiguous text string.
Common questions
Does date formatting validate the source? No. Is TODAY a fixed creation date? No. Are calendar-day and working-day deadlines identical? Not necessarily; define the rule and relevant calendar.
What to do next
Keep date meanings and calculation assumptions in the workbook notes. Test month boundaries and representative imported values before relying on a schedule or overdue indicator.