Are you tired of manually updating dates in your Google Sheets? Do you want to automate the process of changing the month in your spreadsheet? Look no further! In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the steps to change the month in Google Sheets using various methods. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced user, this article will provide you with the necessary knowledge to efficiently manage your dates in Google Sheets.
Google Sheets is a powerful tool for data analysis and management. With its ability to perform calculations, create charts, and automate tasks, it’s no wonder why many businesses and individuals rely on it. However, one of the common challenges users face is updating dates in their spreadsheets. Whether it’s changing the month, year, or day, manually updating dates can be time-consuming and prone to errors. That’s where Google Sheets’ built-in functions and formulas come in handy.
In this article, we’ll explore the different ways to change the month in Google Sheets, including using the MONTH function, the DATE function, and the YEAR function. We’ll also cover how to use the DATEDIF function to calculate the difference between two dates. By the end of this article, you’ll be able to efficiently manage your dates in Google Sheets and automate the process of changing the month.
Method 1: Using the MONTH Function
The MONTH function is a built-in function in Google Sheets that returns the month of a given date. To use the MONTH function, follow these steps:
- Enter the date you want to change in a cell.
- Go to the cell where you want to display the month.
- Type =MONTH(A1), where A1 is the cell containing the date.
- Press Enter to get the result.
For example, if you enter the date “2022-02-15” in cell A1, the MONTH function will return “2”, which represents February.
The MONTH function is useful when you want to extract the month from a date without changing the year or day. However, if you want to change the month, you’ll need to use a different function.
Using the MONTH Function with Multiple Dates
What if you want to extract the month from multiple dates? You can use the MONTH function with an array formula to achieve this. Here’s how:
- Enter the dates you want to extract the month from in a range of cells (e.g., A1:A5).
- Go to the cell where you want to display the months.
- Type =MONTH(A1:A5), where A1:A5 is the range of cells containing the dates.
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to enter the array formula.
- Press Enter to get the result.
This will return an array of months corresponding to the dates in the range A1:A5.
Example: Extracting Months from Multiple Dates
Suppose you have the following dates in cells A1:A5:
| Date | Month |
|---|---|
| 2022-02-15 | =MONTH(A1) |
| 2022-03-20 | =MONTH(A2) |
| 2022-04-25 | =MONTH(A3) |
| 2022-05-30 | =MONTH(A4) |
| 2022-06-15 | =MONTH(A5) |
Using the MONTH function with an array formula, you can extract the months from these dates and display them in a range of cells, like this:
| Date | Month |
|---|---|
| 2022-02-15 | 2 |
| 2022-03-20 | 3 |
| 2022-04-25 | 4 |
| 2022-05-30 | 5 |
| 2022-06-15 | 6 |
Method 2: Using the DATE Function
The DATE function is another built-in function in Google Sheets that allows you to create a date from separate year, month, and day components. To use the DATE function, follow these steps: (See Also: How to Use the Importrange Function in Google Sheets? Mastering Data Retrieval)
- Enter the year, month, and day you want to create a date from in separate cells.
- Go to the cell where you want to display the date.
- Type =DATE(A1,B1,C1), where A1, B1, and C1 are the cells containing the year, month, and day, respectively.
- Press Enter to get the result.
For example, if you enter the year “2022”, the month “2”, and the day “15” in cells A1, B1, and C1, respectively, the DATE function will return the date “2022-02-15”.
The DATE function is useful when you want to create a date from separate components. However, if you want to change the month, you’ll need to use a different function.
Using the DATE Function with Multiple Dates
What if you want to create multiple dates using the DATE function? You can use the DATE function with an array formula to achieve this. Here’s how:
- Enter the year, month, and day components for each date in separate ranges of cells (e.g., A1:A5, B1:B5, C1:C5).
- Go to the cell where you want to display the dates.
- Type =DATE(A1:A5,B1:B5,C1:C5), where A1:A5, B1:B5, and C1:C5 are the ranges of cells containing the year, month, and day components, respectively.
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to enter the array formula.
- Press Enter to get the result.
This will return an array of dates corresponding to the year, month, and day components in the ranges A1:A5, B1:B5, and C1:C5, respectively.
Example: Creating Multiple Dates Using the DATE Function
Suppose you have the following year, month, and day components in cells A1:A5, B1:B5, and C1:C5, respectively:
| Year | Month | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2 | 15 |
| 2022 | 3 | 20 |
| 2022 | 4 | 25 |
| 2022 | 5 | 30 |
| 2022 | 6 | 15 |
Using the DATE function with an array formula, you can create the dates corresponding to these year, month, and day components and display them in a range of cells, like this:
| Date |
|---|
| 2022-02-15 |
| 2022-03-20 |
| 2022-04-25 |
| 2022-05-30 |
| 2022-06-15 |
Method 3: Using the YEAR Function
The YEAR function is a built-in function in Google Sheets that returns the year of a given date. To use the YEAR function, follow these steps:
- Enter the date you want to extract the year from in a cell.
- Go to the cell where you want to display the year.
- Type =YEAR(A1), where A1 is the cell containing the date.
- Press Enter to get the result.
For example, if you enter the date “2022-02-15” in cell A1, the YEAR function will return “2022”.
The YEAR function is useful when you want to extract the year from a date. However, if you want to change the month, you’ll need to use a different function.
Using the YEAR Function with Multiple Dates
What if you want to extract the year from multiple dates? You can use the YEAR function with an array formula to achieve this. Here’s how:
- Enter the dates you want to extract the year from in a range of cells (e.g., A1:A5).
- Go to the cell where you want to display the years.
- Type =YEAR(A1:A5), where A1:A5 is the range of cells containing the dates.
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to enter the array formula.
- Press Enter to get the result.
This will return an array of years corresponding to the dates in the range A1:A5. (See Also: How to Add Sorting in Google Sheets? Easy Step Guide)
Example: Extracting Years from Multiple Dates
Suppose you have the following dates in cells A1:A5:
| Date | Year |
|---|---|
| 2022-02-15 | =YEAR(A1) |
| 2022-03-20 | =YEAR(A2) |
| 2022-04-25 | =YEAR(A3) |
| 2022-05-30 | =YEAR(A4) |
| 2022-06-15 | =YEAR(A5) |
Using the YEAR function with an array formula, you can extract the years from these dates and display them in a range of cells, like this:
| Date | Year |
|---|---|
| 2022-02-15 | 2022 |
| 2022-03-20 | 2022 |
| 2022-04-25 | 2022 |
| 2022-05-30 | 2022 |
| 2022-06-15 | 2022 |
Method 4: Using the DATEDIF Function
The DATEDIF function is a built-in function in Google Sheets that calculates the difference between two dates in a specified interval. To use the DATEDIF function, follow these steps:
- Enter the two dates you want to calculate the difference between in separate cells.
- Go to the cell where you want to display the result.
- Type =DATEDIF(A1,B1,”M”), where A1 and B1 are the cells containing the dates, and “M” is the interval (in this case, months).
- Press Enter to get the result.
For example, if you enter the dates “2022-02-15” and “2022-03-20” in cells A1 and B1, respectively, the DATEDIF function will return the difference between the two dates in months, which is 1.
The DATEDIF function is useful when you want to calculate the difference between two dates in a specified interval. However, if you want to change the month, you’ll need to use a different function.
Using the DATEDIF Function with Multiple Dates
What if you want to calculate the difference between multiple pairs of dates? You can use the DATEDIF function with an array formula to achieve this. Here’s how:
- Enter the pairs of dates you want to calculate the difference between in separate ranges of cells (e.g., A1:A5, B1:B5).
- Go to the cell where you want to display the results.
- Type =DATEDIF(A1:A5,B1:B5,”M”), where A1:A5 and B1:B5 are the ranges of cells containing the dates, and “M” is the interval (in this case, months).
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to enter the array formula.
- Press Enter to get the result.
This will return an array of differences between the pairs of dates in the ranges A1:A5 and B1:B5, respectively.
Example: Calculating Differences between Multiple Pairs of Dates
Suppose you have the following pairs of dates in cells A1:A5 and B1:B5:
| Date 1 | Date 2 |
|---|---|
| 2022-02-15 | 2022-03-20 |
| 2022-03-20 | 2022-04-25 |
| 2022-04-25 | 2022-05-30 |
| 2022-05-30 | 2022-06-15 |
| 2022-06-15 | 2022-07-20 |
Using the DATEDIF function with an array formula, you can calculate the differences between these pairs of dates and display them in a range of cells, like this:
| Date 1 | Date 2 | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-02-15 | 2022-03-20 | 1 |
| 2022-03-20 | 2022-04-25 | 1 |
| 2022-04-25 | 2022-05-30 | 1 |
| 2022-05-30 | 2022-06-15 | 1 |
| 2022-06-15 | 2022-07-20 | 1 |
Recap
In this article, we’ve covered four methods for changing the month in Google Sheets:
- Using the MONTH function to extract the month from a date.
- Using the DATE function to create a date from separate year, month, and day components.
- Using the YEAR function to extract the year from a date.
- Using the DATEDIF function to calculate the difference between two dates in a specified interval.
We’ve also covered how to use these functions with multiple dates and how to display the results in a range of cells.
By following the steps outlined in this article, you should be able to efficiently manage your dates in Google Sheets and automate the process of changing the month.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs
Q: How do I extract the month from a date in Google Sheets?
A: You can use the MONTH function to extract the month from a date. For example, if you enter the date “2022-02-15” in cell A1, the MONTH function will return “2”, which represents February.
Q: How do I create a date from separate year, month, and day components in Google Sheets?
A: You can use the DATE function to create a date from separate year, month, and day components. For example, if you enter the year “2022”, the month “2”, and the day “15” in cells A1, B1, and C1, respectively, the DATE function will return the date “2022-02-15”.
Q: How do I extract the year from a date in Google Sheets?
A: You can use the YEAR function to extract the year from a date. For example, if you enter the date “2022-02-15” in cell A1, the YEAR function will return “2022”.
Q: How do I calculate the difference between two dates in Google Sheets?
A: You can use the DATEDIF function to calculate the difference between two dates in a specified interval. For example, if you enter the dates “2022-02-15” and “2022-03-20” in cells A1 and B1, respectively, the DATEDIF function will return the difference between the two dates in months, which is 1.
Q: Can I use these functions with multiple dates in Google Sheets?
A: Yes, you can use these functions with multiple dates in Google Sheets. For example, you can use the MONTH function with an array formula to extract the months from multiple dates, or use the DATEDIF function with an array formula to calculate the differences between multiple pairs of dates.