WEEKDAY and WORKDAY in Google Sheets - Real Business Scenario

Scenario Mode

👤 Your Role: You are an HR assistant at a company.

📋 Request: Your manager wants a schedule that shows the day of the week for each employee's start date and calculates their expected last working day after a fixed number of working days, excluding weekends.

📊 Data: You have a list of employees with their start dates and the number of working days they will work.

🎯 Deliverable: Create a table that shows each employee's start date, the weekday name of that start date, and their expected last working day calculated by adding the working days excluding weekends.

Sample Data

Employee	Start Date	Working Days
Alice	2024-06-03	10
Bob	2024-06-04	15
Charlie	2024-06-05	7
Diana	2024-06-06	20
Edward	2024-06-07	5

1

Step 1: Format the 'Start Date' column as Date to ensure correct date handling.

Select the 'Start Date' cells, then Format > Number > Date.

Expected Result

Dates appear in a readable date format like 6/3/2024.

2

Step 2: Create a new column 'Weekday Name' to show the day of the week for each start date.

=CHOOSE(WEEKDAY(B2),"Sunday","Monday","Tuesday","Wednesday","Thursday","Friday","Saturday")

Expected Result

For Alice's start date 2024-06-03, the result is 'Monday'.

3

Step 3: Create another new column 'Last Working Day' to calculate the last working day after the given working days, excluding weekends.

=WORKDAY(B2, C2 - 1)

Expected Result

For Alice starting 2024-06-03 with 10 working days, the last working day is 2024-06-14.

4

Step 4: Format the 'Last Working Day' column as Date.

Select the 'Last Working Day' cells, then Format > Number > Date.

Expected Result

Dates appear in a readable date format like 6/14/2024.

Final Result

Employee | Start Date | Weekday Name | Working Days | Last Working Day
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Alice    | 2024-06-03 | Monday       | 10           | 2024-06-14
Bob      | 2024-06-04 | Tuesday      | 15           | 2024-06-24
Charlie  | 2024-06-05 | Wednesday    | 7            | 2024-06-13
Diana    | 2024-06-06 | Thursday     | 20           | 2024-07-03
Edward   | 2024-06-07 | Friday       | 5            | 2024-06-13

✓The WEEKDAY function helps identify the day name of the start date.

✓The WORKDAY function calculates the last working day excluding weekends.

✓For example, Alice starts on Monday, June 3, 2024, and after 10 working days, her last working day is Friday, June 14, 2024.

Bonus Challenge

Modify the 'Last Working Day' calculation to exclude company holidays listed in a separate range.

Show Hint

Use the WORKDAY function's optional third argument to include a range of holiday dates to skip.

Practice

1. What does the WEEKDAY function return when given a date in Google Sheets?

easy

A. The name of the month for that date

B. The date of the next working day

C. The number of days between two dates

D. A number representing the day of the week for that date

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the purpose of WEEKDAY

   The WEEKDAY function returns a number from 1 to 7 representing the day of the week for a given date.

2. Step 2: Compare options with function behavior

   Only a number representing the day of the week for that date correctly describes this behavior; others describe unrelated functions.

3. Final Answer:

   A number representing the day of the week for that date -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   WEEKDAY = day number [OK]

Hint: WEEKDAY gives day number, not names or intervals [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking WEEKDAY returns the month's name
• Confusing WEEKDAY with date difference functions
• Assuming WEEKDAY returns the next workday

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to add 5 working days to a date in cell A1, skipping weekends in Google Sheets?

easy

A. =WEEKDAY(A1 + 5)

B. =WORKDAY(A1, 5)

C. =WORKDAY(5, A1)

D. =WORKDAY(A1 + 5)

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall WORKDAY function syntax

   WORKDAY(start_date, days, [holidays]) adds working days to start_date, skipping weekends.

2. Step 2: Check each option's syntax

   =WORKDAY(A1, 5) correctly uses WORKDAY with start_date A1 and 5 days. Others misuse argument order or functions.

3. Final Answer:

   =WORKDAY(A1, 5) -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   WORKDAY(start_date, days) [OK]

Hint: WORKDAY(start_date, days) adds workdays skipping weekends [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Swapping arguments in WORKDAY
• Using WEEKDAY instead of WORKDAY to add days
• Adding days directly without WORKDAY

3. If cell A1 contains the date 2024-06-14 (a Friday), what will =WORKDAY(A1, 3) return?

medium

A. 2024-06-19 (Wednesday)

B. 2024-06-18 (Tuesday)

C. 2024-06-17 (Monday)

D. 2024-06-20 (Thursday)

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the start date and days to add

   Start date is Friday, June 14, 2024. We add 3 working days skipping weekends.

2. Step 2: Count 3 working days skipping weekend

   Day 1: Monday, June 17
   Day 2: Tuesday, June 18
   Day 3: Wednesday, June 19

3. Final Answer:

   2024-06-19 (Wednesday) -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   WORKDAY skips weekends, so 3 workdays after Friday is Wednesday [OK]

Hint: Count workdays skipping Sat/Sun after start date [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Counting weekend days as workdays
• Adding days directly without WORKDAY
• Misidentifying the weekday of the start date

4. The formula =WORKDAY(A1, 10, C1:C3) returns an error. What is the most likely cause?

medium

A. WORKDAY cannot accept a range for holidays

B. The second argument must be a date, not a number

C. The holidays range C1:C3 contains invalid dates

D. The start date in A1 is not a valid date

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand WORKDAY arguments

   WORKDAY(start_date, days, [holidays]) expects holidays as valid dates in a range.

2. Step 2: Identify common error with holidays

   If holidays range contains invalid or text values, WORKDAY returns an error.

3. Final Answer:

   The holidays range C1:C3 contains invalid dates -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Invalid holiday dates cause WORKDAY errors [OK]

Hint: Check holiday dates for validity if WORKDAY errors [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming days argument must be a date
• Thinking WORKDAY can't accept holiday ranges
• Ignoring invalid or text values in holidays

5. You want to find the weekday number of the date that is 7 working days after 2024-06-10, excluding weekends and the holidays in range B1:B2. Which formula correctly does this?

hard

A. =WEEKDAY(WORKDAY(DATE(2024,6,10), 7, B1:B2))

B. =WORKDAY(WEEKDAY(DATE(2024,6,10)), 7, B1:B2)

C. =WEEKDAY(DATE(2024,6,10) + 7)

D. =WORKDAY(DATE(2024,6,10), 7) + WEEKDAY(B1:B2)

Solution

1. Step 1: Calculate the date 7 working days after June 10, 2024

   Use WORKDAY with start date DATE(2024,6,10), days 7, and holidays B1:B2 to skip weekends and holidays.

2. Step 2: Find the weekday number of the resulting date

   Wrap the WORKDAY result inside WEEKDAY to get the day number of that date.

3. Final Answer:

   =WEEKDAY(WORKDAY(DATE(2024,6,10), 7, B1:B2)) -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   WORKDAY then WEEKDAY gives weekday number after skipping holidays [OK]

Hint: Use WORKDAY inside WEEKDAY to get weekday number after workdays [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using WEEKDAY before WORKDAY
• Adding days directly ignoring holidays
• Trying to add WEEKDAY results to dates