EDATE
Shifts a date by the number of months you need, forward or back: the end of a subscription, contract or warranty.
EDATE(start_date, months)- start_date
- The date to count from, for example the start of a subscription.
- months
- How many months to add. A negative number subtracts.
Return value
The date shifted by the given number of months. If the month doesn't have that day, you get its last day: January 31 + 1 month = February 28. Without a date format, the result shows as a number.
Examples
Subscription end date
fx
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B
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D
E
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Customer
Start
Months
End
Vector LLC
15.01.2026
12
Brooks & Co
31.01.2026
1
Summit Inc.
01.06.2026
6
North Corp.
10.09.2026
3
Sheet1
Details
EDATE adds whole months to a date and keeps the day of the month: January 15 plus 3 months is April 15.
If the new month doesn't have that day, the function takes the last day of the month: January 31 plus a month gives February 28 or 29.
A negative number of months shifts the date back. The result comes as a number, so give the cell a date format.
Common mistakes
- The cell shows a number instead of a date. Give it a date format.
- Months are added as days: =B2+30. Months have different lengths, and the date drifts.