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How to count the days until a deadline in Excel and Google Sheets
Excel & Google Sheets
=MAX(0,A2-TODAY())Try it with your data
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Step by step
- 1Enter deadlines in column A formatted as dates.
- 2In B2 enter =MAX(0,A2-TODAY()) to get days remaining (never negative).
- 3To show negative days for overdue items, remove MAX: =A2-TODAY().
- 4Format column B as Number (not Date) so it shows a count of days.
Tips
- Combine with conditional formatting: highlight B2 red when =A2-TODAY()<0, yellow when <=7, green when >7 for a quick traffic-light view.
Need it for your exact data?
Describe your columns in plain English and get the precise formula for your sheet, with the right Excel or Sheets syntax.
Frequently asked
Why does my result show a date instead of a number?
The cell is formatted as a Date. Change its format to Number or General (Ctrl+1 in Excel, Format > Number > Number in Sheets).
How do I count only business days until the deadline?
Use =NETWORKDAYS(TODAY(),A2)-1 which counts weekdays and optionally excludes holidays.