Add Months to Date

This article outlines how to add months to a date in Excel

Written by CFI Team

Published August 8, 2019

Read Time 2 minutes

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How to Make Excel Add Months to Date

In Excel, you can add a number of months to a date[1] using the EDATE function. This can be very useful when performing financial modeling and you are adjusting time periods. This is a step by step guide on how to have Excel Add Months to Date.

For example, if you want to have a monthly financial model, you can add one month to the start date. If you want a quarterly financial model, you can add 3 months to the start date.

Download the Free Excel Template – Add Months to Date

Formula: Excel Add Months to Date

=EDATE(start date, number of months)

(See screenshots and example below)

Example of Adding Months to Date

Follow the steps below to perform this procedure on your own:

Step 1: Ensure the starting date is properly formatted – go to Format Cells (press Ctrl + 1) and make sure the number is set to Date.

Step 2: Use the =EDATE(C3,C5) formula to add the number of specified months to the start date. Where cell C3 is equal to today’s date [the TODAY() function] and cell C5 is equal to the number 3.

Step 3: Make sure the output cell is formatted as a Date, and not as a general number (press Ctrl +1 and select Date)

Congratulations, you have now added months to a date in Excel!

Download the free template.

Formula:

Add Months to Date Formula in Excel

Finished product:

Add Months to Date in Excel - Example

It’s as easy as that!

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More Excel Training

Thank you for reading CFI’s step by step guide to learning how to add months in Excel. As mentioned above, this is a very common practice in financial modeling and a very useful formula for financial analysts. The best way to become a master at Excel is by practicing… a lot.

To get more practice, check out these additional CFI self-study guides which will show you how to perform advanced functions and formulas:

See all Excel resources

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Add Months to Date