Use Excel to calculate the number of working days you have to complete your projects

You don't need to count out days on a calendar to find out how many days you have to complete a project. Excel's NETWORKDAYS function can calculate it for you — without requiring you to work weekends or holidays.

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To set up a worksheet that will calculate the number of working days excluding weekends and holidays from a project's start date to its due date, follow these steps:

1. Enter the headings for Project, Start Date, End Date, and Work Days as shown.
2. Select B2:C2.
3. Press Shift+ Ctrl + Down Arrow.
4. Right-click the selection and choose Format Cells.
5. Select Date under Category and 3/14/01 under Type.
6. Click OK.

1. Select J2.
2. Press Shift+ Ctrl + Down Arrow.
3. Right-click the selection and choose Format cells.
4. Select Date under Category and 14-Mar-01 under Type.
5. Click OK.
6. Complete the Holiday Table as shown.
7. Select J2:J9.
8. Click in the Name box and enter Holidays_2008.

1. Click D2 and enter the following formula:

=NETWORKDAYS(B2,C2,Holidays_2008)

1. Copy the formula in D2 to the D3:D4 to obtain the number of Workdays for Projects B and C.

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• How to add a drop-down list to an Excel cell (TechRepublic)
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