How to Calculate The Following Friday in Excel
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Reviewed by Calculator Editorial Team
Calculating the following Friday in Excel is a common task for scheduling and project management. This guide explains how to find the next Friday using Excel formulas, provides a built-in calculator, and offers practical tips for accurate results.
Basic Formula
The most straightforward way to find the following Friday is to use the WORKDAY function combined with the WEEKDAY function. Here's the basic formula:
=WORKDAY(A1, 1, "1")
Where A1 contains your starting date.
This formula adds one workday to your starting date, but since "1" is specified as a weekend day in the WORKDAY function, it will automatically skip weekends and land on the next Friday.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Enter Your Starting Date
In cell A1, enter the date from which you want to find the following Friday. Excel will recognize this as a date if you use a proper date format (e.g., 5/15/2023 or May 15, 2023).
-
Use the WORKDAY Function
In cell B1, enter the formula:
=WORKDAY(A1, 1, "1"). This formula will add one workday to your starting date, skipping weekends. -
Format the Result
Excel will display the result as a date. You can format this cell to display only the day of the week by right-clicking the cell, selecting "Format Cells," and choosing a date format that shows the day name.
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Verify the Result
Check that the result is indeed a Friday. If your starting date was a Friday, the formula will return the following Friday. If your starting date was a Saturday or Sunday, it will return the next Friday after the weekend.
Worked Examples
Example 1: Starting on Monday
If your starting date is Monday, May 15, 2023, the formula will return Friday, May 19, 2023.
Example 2: Starting on Friday
If your starting date is Friday, May 19, 2023, the formula will return Friday, May 26, 2023.
Example 3: Starting on Saturday
If your starting date is Saturday, May 20, 2023, the formula will return Friday, May 26, 2023.
Common Issues and Solutions
Issue: Formula Returns Incorrect Day
If the formula returns a day other than Friday, double-check that you've entered the correct starting date and that the WORKDAY function is properly configured to skip weekends.
Issue: Formula Doesn't Skip Weekends
If the formula doesn't skip weekends, ensure that you've included the "1" parameter in the WORKDAY function. This parameter tells Excel to skip weekends.
Issue: Formula Returns Weekend
If the formula returns a weekend day, it means you may have entered a weekend date as your starting date. Try entering a weekday date to ensure the formula works correctly.
FAQ
- Can I use this formula for other days of the week?
- Yes, you can modify the formula to find other days of the week by changing the "1" parameter in the
WORKDAYfunction. For example, to find the next Monday, use "0" instead of "1". - Does this formula work with leap years?
- Yes, the formula will automatically account for leap years when calculating dates.
- Can I use this formula in Google Sheets?
- Yes, the
WORKDAYfunction is also available in Google Sheets, so you can use the same formula in Google Sheets. - How do I find the previous Friday instead of the next Friday?
- To find the previous Friday, you can use the
=WORKDAY(A1, -1, "1")formula, which subtracts one workday from your starting date. - Can I use this formula in a macro or VBA script?
- Yes, you can incorporate this formula into a VBA script to automate the calculation of the following Friday in Excel.