FormulaCraft

How to get the first day of the month in Excel and Google Sheets

Excel & Google Sheets
=DATE(YEAR(A2),MONTH(A2),1)

Try it with your data

Edit the grid or formula, then run it through a real spreadsheet engine — no signup.

Sample data — click any cell to edit

Runs server-side · free · no signup

Step by step

  1. 1Enter your date in A2.
  2. 2In a result cell, enter =DATE(YEAR(A2),MONTH(A2),1).
  3. 3This reconstructs the date using the same year and month, but always with day 1.
  4. 4Format the result cell as a date.
  5. 5Alternatively, use EOMONTH to get the first day of the next month: =EOMONTH(A2,-1)+1.

Tips

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

How do I get the first day of the next month?

Use =DATE(YEAR(A2),MONTH(A2)+1,1). Excel and Sheets handle the December-to-January rollover automatically.

How do I get the first day of the previous month?

Use =DATE(YEAR(A2),MONTH(A2)-1,1). The January-to-December rollover is handled correctly.

Formulas used

Written and reviewed by FormulaCraft Team. Each formula on this page is run through our verification engine before publishing.

Last reviewed: