ExcelFormulas logoExcelFormulas.
Ask AI
Date & TimeVerified QA Tested

DAY.

Extracts the day of the month (1 to 31) from a date value.

SyntaxArgumentsExampleInteractive SandboxGeneratorCompatibilityFAQRelatedCheat Sheet
Category: Date & Time
ExcelExcel 365Excel 2021Excel 2019Google Sheets

How it works.

DAY returns the day of the month as an integer ranging from 1 to 31 from a date value.

Formula syntax.

Standard Excel Notation
=DAY(serial_number)
Tip:Arguments wrapped in square brackets [like_this] are optional; all other arguments are required.

Formula arguments.

Every parameter accepted by the DAY function is detailed below.

serial_numberRequired

The date value to extract the day from.

Example value: A2

Simple example.

Step-by-Step Scenario

Extract Day of Month

Extract calendar day number from timestamp.

DateDay of Month
2025-05-20—
2025-08-31—
Applied Formula
=DAY(A2)
Expected Result:20

Evaluates DAY over the sample table cells, placing the verified output in cell B2.

Formula generator.

Full Generator Wizard

Customize the argument fields below to generate a tailored DAY formula ready to paste directly into your worksheet.

Generated FormulaReady to copy
=DAY()

Expected result behavior.

Returns number 20 based on sample evaluation criteria and active cell references.

Sample Output:20
Output Type:Numeric (Double/Integer)

Best Practices

  • Use DAY to check if an invoice date matches a specific cutoff day of the month.

Common Mistakes

  • Supplying text strings that Excel does not recognize as dates returns #VALUE!.
Compatibility Database

Platform & version compatibility.

Verified platform compatibility matrix based on actual spreadsheet calculation engine specifications.

Excel✓
Supported
Excel 365✓
Supported
Excel 2021✓
Supported
Excel 2019✓
Supported
Google Sheets✓
Supported
Microsoft Excel History & Version Availability

Core standard function supported across all modern and legacy Microsoft Excel versions (365, 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010), as well as Excel for the Web and Mac.

Google Sheets Compatibility Notes

100% compatible with Google Sheets. Uses identical argument order, data types, and standard calculation logic.

Frequently asked questions.

Technical Q&A
Can I use DAY across different worksheets in Excel?↓

Yes. You can reference cells located on other sheets by including the sheet name followed by an exclamation mark, for example: =DAY(Sheet2!A2:A10). If the sheet name contains spaces, enclose it in single quotes: ='Q1 Report'!A2:A10.

What is the most common reason for errors in DAY?↓

Supplying text strings that Excel does not recognize as dates returns #VALUE!.

Does DAY work identically in Google Sheets?↓

Yes, DAY is supported in both Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets with standard evaluation behavior.