Add Months to Date

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

Written by CFI Team

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!

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:

Article Sources

Add Months to Date

Additional Resources

CFI is a global provider of financial modeling courses and of the FMVA Certification. CFI’s mission is to help all professionals improve their technical skills. If you are a student or looking for a career change, the CFI website has many free resources to help you jumpstart your Career in Finance. If you are seeking to improve your technical skills, check out some of our most popular courses. Below are some additional resources for you to further explore:

The Financial Modeling Certification

Analyst Certification FMVA® Program

The Financial Modeling Certification

Below is a break down of subject weightings in the FMVA® financial analyst program. As you can see there is a heavy focus on financial modeling, finance, Excel, business valuation, budgeting/forecasting, PowerPoint presentations, accounting and business strategy.

A well rounded financial analyst possesses all of the above skills!

Additional Questions & Answers

CFI is the global institution behind the financial modeling and valuation analyst FMVA® Designation. CFI is on a mission to enable anyone to be a great financial analyst and have a great career path. In order to help you advance your career, CFI has compiled many resources to assist you along the path.

In order to become a great financial analyst, here are some more questions and answers for you to discover: