How to Use the To_date Function in Google Sheets

GiGiKing·March 31, 2024·0 comments

Have you ever wondered how to convert a number to a date in Google Sheets? Look no further! In this tutorial, we will explore the To_date function, a powerful tool in Google Sheets that allows you to easily convert numbers to dates.

Understanding the To_date Function in Google Sheets

The To_date function in Google Sheets is part of the Parser functions category. Its purpose is to convert a provided number to a date. The function interprets the value as the number of days since December 30, 1899.

For example, if we enter the formula =to_date(0), it will return the date as December 30, 1899. Similarly, =to_date(1) will return December 31, 1899. But what about negative numbers? Well, negative values, like =to_date(-1), are interpreted as days before this date.

But here’s where it gets interesting – the To_date function also accepts fractional values! Fractional values indicate the time of day past midnight. For instance, the formula =to_date(1.5) will return December 31, 1899, at 12:00:00 PM. Just make sure to properly format the output column from the format menu in Sheets.

Now you might be wondering, why would someone want to convert a number to a date in Google Sheets? Well, the real purpose of the To_date function is to convert a date value back to date, not any number to date. Let me explain this further in the next section.

How to Use the To_Date Function with Other Functions in Google Sheets

Let’s dive into some practical examples of how you can use the To_date function in Google Sheets.

The Use of To_Date with Int Function in Google Sheets

Have you ever needed to remove the time from a date-time stamp in Google Sheets? You can achieve this by using the INT function. Let me show you an example:

Let’s say we have a date-time value in cell A2: 27/02/2019 10:50:44. If we use the formula =int(A2), it will return the output as the number that corresponds to the date value in cell A2, which is 43523.

To convert this date value back to a proper date, you can use the To_date Function in Google Sheets as follows: =to_date(int(A2)).

Converting Date in Text Format to Number in Google Sheets

Sometimes, you may come across dates formatted as text in Google Sheets. Luckily, you can check whether a date in a cell is a proper date or not using the Isdate function. It will return either TRUE or FALSE based on the value.

Even if a date is formatted as plain text, the Isdate function will still consider it as a date and return TRUE. So, you decide whether that’s good or bad. Let’s look at an example to understand dates formatted as text in Google Sheets:

Example to Date Entered as Text:

A1: '01/01/2022
A2: 01/01/2022 (formatted as plain text)

In the above example, the first date in cell A1 is entered as text. You can notice the leading apostrophe, indicating it as text. Even the date in cell A2 is formatted as plain text from Format > Number > Plain text.

So, cells A1 and A2 contain dates in text format. But why would we need to convert such dates back to proper dates? To understand the issue, let’s count these dates using the COUNT function: =count(A1:A2). It will return zero!

But fear not, we can use the formula =to_date(datevalue(A1)) to convert the date in text format to a proper date. In an array, you can use it as follows: =ArrayFormula(to_date(datevalue(A1:A2))).

Now, if we use the count function, it will count the dates properly: =ArrayFormula(count(to_date(datevalue(A1:A2)))).

ArrayFormula with Google Sheets To_Date Function

In some cases, you may encounter columns with mixed data types – dates and strings. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Let’s explore an example using an ArrayFormula that involves the To_Date function.

Consider a column with mixed data types, where some cells contain dates and others contain strings. To extract the dates, you can use the following ArrayFormula with To_Date: =ArrayFormula(to_date(iferror(datevalue(A1:A)))).

In this formula:

  1. The Datevalue function returns the dates in column A as date values.
  2. The Iferror function removes the error that appears instead of text strings.
  3. Finally, the To_Date function converts the date values to proper dates.

But here’s an even better formula to extract dates from a mixed column – use the Filter formula: =filter(A1:A7,iferror(datevalue(A1:A7))<>"").

Follow these examples to get a better understanding of how to use the To_date function in Google Sheets.

Additional Resources

If you’re hungry for more Google Sheets tips and tricks, make sure to check out these additional resources:

  1. How to Compare Time Stamp with Normal Date in Google Sheets
  2. Convert Date to String Using the Long-winded Approach in Google Sheets
  3. Combine Text and Date in Google Doc Spreadsheet Using Formula
  4. Find the Last Entry of Each Item from Date in Google Sheets
  5. Find the Past or Future Closest Date to Today in Google Sheets
  6. Elapsed Days and Time Between Two Dates in Google Sheets

I hope this article has enlightened you on how to use the To_date function in Google Sheets. Enjoy exploring the endless possibilities! And remember, for more informative articles and helpful resources, visit Crawlan.com.

GiGiKing

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