How to Use the MONTH Function in Excel
Below is a detailed guide on how to work with the MONTH function in Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets.
Overview of Functionality
The MONTH function in both Excel and Google Sheets extracts the month component from a given date, which is input as a serial number. It returns an integer value that ranges from 1 (January) to 12 (December).
Syntax
The syntax for the MONTH function is consistent across both Excel and Google Sheets:
MONTH(serial_number)serial_number: A date from which the month is to be extracted. This date is either directly provided, referenced from another cell, or returned by another function.
Examples
Consider the following examples to better understand how the MONTH function operates:
| Date | Formula | Output |
|---|---|---|
| 1/15/2022 | =MONTH(A2) |
1 |
| 6/28/2022 | =MONTH(A3) |
6 |
| 12/10/2022 | =MONTH("12/10/2022") |
12 |
In these examples, the MONTH function successfully extracts the month value from each date — be it from cells A2, A3, or directly from a text string entered within the function.
Use Cases
The MONTH function is highly versatile, assisting in several practical scenarios, including:
- Financial planning: It simplifies monthly trend analysis in revenues or expenses.
- Scheduling: Helpful in extracting and using month data to design schedules or calendars.
- Data analysis: Facilitates the grouping of data by month to enhance the clarity and effectiveness of reports.
With the MONTH function, when combined with other functions such as SUM, AVERAGE, or IF, you can execute complex month-based data analyses, thus enabling more powerful and informed decision-making.
More information: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/month-function-579a2881-199b-48b2-ab90-ddba0eba86e8