WEEKDAY and WORKDAY in Google Sheets - Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

These two functions help you work with dates easily. WEEKDAY tells you the day number of the week for any date. WORKDAY helps you find a date after adding working days, skipping weekends and holidays.

When you want to know which day of the week a date falls on, like Monday or Friday.

When you need to calculate a deadline by adding only workdays, ignoring weekends.

When planning project schedules that skip weekends and holidays.

When you want to highlight weekends or weekdays in your calendar.

When tracking employee workdays or leave days excluding weekends.

Steps

Step 1: Click

- a blank cell where you want the result

The cell is selected and ready for input

Step 2: Type

- the formula bar

The formula appears in the cell as you type

💡 Start typing =WEEKDAY( or =WORKDAY( to see function suggestions

Step 3: Enter

- a date cell or type a date inside the formula

The formula uses this date to calculate the result

Step 4: For WEEKDAY, optionally type a second argument for return type

- inside the formula after the date

The function returns the day number based on the chosen system

Step 5: For WORKDAY, type the number of workdays to add after the start date

- inside the formula after the start date

The function calculates the future workday date skipping weekends

Step 6: Optionally add a range of holiday dates as the last argument in WORKDAY

- inside the formula after the number of days

The function skips these holidays when calculating the workday

Step 7: Press Enter

- formula bar

The cell shows the weekday number or the calculated workday date

Before vs After

Before

Cell A1 has date 2024-06-10 (Monday). No formula applied.

After

Cell B1 with formula =WEEKDAY(A1) shows 2 (Monday as day 2). Cell C1 with formula =WORKDAY(A1,5) shows 2024-06-17 (Monday next week, skipping weekend).

Settings Reference

Return type (WEEKDAY)

📍 second argument in WEEKDAY formula

Choose how the days of the week are numbered

Default: 1

Holidays (WORKDAY)

📍 third argument in WORKDAY formula

Exclude specific dates from workday calculation

Default: No holidays

Common Mistakes

Using WORKDAY without specifying holidays but expecting holidays to be skipped.

WORKDAY only skips weekends by default, not holidays unless specified.

Add a holiday range as the third argument to skip holidays.

Using WEEKDAY without setting the return type and assuming Monday is 1.

Default return type counts Sunday as 1, so Monday is 2.

Set the second argument to 2 or 3 to start counting from Monday.

Entering dates as text strings without date format.

Functions may not recognize text as valid dates, causing errors.

Enter dates as proper date values or use DATE function.

Summary

WEEKDAY returns the day number of the week for a given date with customizable numbering.

WORKDAY calculates a future or past date by adding workdays, skipping weekends and optional holidays.

Remember to specify holidays in WORKDAY to exclude them and set return type in WEEKDAY for correct day numbering.

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