Date formula page
Next Business Day Formula
Use WORKDAY when the next step should skip weekends and optional holidays.
Find the next business day in Excel or Google Sheets.
If A2 is a Friday, the formula returns the following Monday unless that date is in the holiday list.
Copy formulas
=WORKDAY(A2, 1, H2:H10)=WORKDAY(A2, 1, H2:H10)Excel and Google Sheets use WORKDAY to move from a start date while skipping weekends and optional holidays. The start date itself is excluded from a nonzero offset.
Example data
| Start Date | End Date | Holiday | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-01 | 2026-01-31 | 2026-01-19 | 30 |
| 2026-02-10 | 2026-03-12 | 30 | |
| 1990-05-20 | 2026-05-20 | 36 |
If A2 is a Friday, the formula returns the following Monday unless that date is in the holiday list.
How the formula works
- A2 is the starting date.
- 1 asks for the next workday.
- H2:H10 can list holidays to skip.
| Syntax piece | Role in the formula |
|---|---|
| A2 | The start date; WORKDAY begins counting after it for a positive offset. |
| 1 | The one-workday forward offset; use -1 for the previous workday. |
| H2:H10 | An optional range of real holiday dates that must also be skipped. |
Verified examples
=WORKDAY(A2,1)Excel: Set A2 to Friday 2026-01-09 and leave holidays empty. Returns: 2026-01-12
=WORKDAY(A2, 1, H2:H10)Google Sheets: Set A2 to 2026-01-09 and put 2026-01-12 in H2. Returns: 2026-01-13
=WORKDAY(A2,-1)Excel: Set A2 to Monday 2026-01-12. Returns: 2026-01-09
Common errors and fixes
| Issue | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| A holiday is not skipped | The holiday range contains text, does not include the holiday, or is not passed as the third argument. | Store real dates in H2:H10 and reference that complete range in WORKDAY. |
| The result is one day later than expected | The expected start date was treated as day one even though WORKDAY excludes A2 from a forward count. | Use 0 when the desired result is the next valid workday on or after the start, or adjust the offset rule explicitly. |
| Saturday and Sunday are not the correct weekends | WORKDAY assumes the standard Saturday/Sunday weekend. | Use WORKDAY.INTL with the appropriate weekend pattern. |
When not to use this formula
- Do not use WORKDAY when the result should count every calendar day, including weekends.
Alternatives
| Alternative | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Add Days to Date Formula | Use when weekends and holidays should not be skipped. |
| Workdays Between Dates Formula | Use when the desired result is the number of workdays between two dates. |
Related formulas
Official references
- WORKDAY function from Microsoft
FAQ
Does WORKDAY count A2 as the first workday?
No. With an offset of 1, WORKDAY starts after A2 and returns the next valid workday.
How do I find the previous workday?
Use a negative offset such as -1 and pass the same optional holiday range when needed.