How it works.
MONTH returns an integer between 1 (January) and 12 (December) corresponding to the month of a date.
Formula syntax.
Standard Excel Notation=MONTH(serial_number)[like_this] are optional; all other arguments are required.Formula arguments.
Every parameter accepted by the MONTH function is detailed below.
The date from which to extract the month.
Example value:A2Simple example.
Step-by-Step ScenarioExtract Month from Date
Retrieve month integer (1-12) from invoice date.
| Invoice Date | Month Number |
|---|---|
| 2025-05-20 | — |
| 2025-10-04 | — |
=MONTH(A2)Evaluates MONTH over the sample table cells, placing the verified output in cell B2.
Formula generator.
Full Generator WizardCustomize the argument fields below to generate a tailored MONTH formula ready to paste directly into your worksheet.
=MONTH()Expected result behavior.
Returns number 5 based on sample evaluation criteria and active cell references.
Best Practices
- Pair with CHOOSE to convert month numbers to three-letter abbreviations: =CHOOSE(MONTH(A2), "Jan", "Feb", ...).
Common Mistakes
- If the cell contains a plain number like 5 instead of a real date, MONTH treats it as day 5 of year 1900.
Platform & version compatibility.
Verified platform compatibility matrix based on actual spreadsheet calculation engine specifications.
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.
100% compatible with Google Sheets. Uses identical argument order, data types, and standard calculation logic.
Frequently asked questions.
Technical Q&ACan I use MONTH 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: =MONTH(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 MONTH?↓
If the cell contains a plain number like 5 instead of a real date, MONTH treats it as day 5 of year 1900.
Does MONTH work identically in Google Sheets?↓
Yes, MONTH is supported in both Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets with standard evaluation behavior.