How to use the DATEVALUE Function in Excel?

The DATEVALUE function in Excel is extremely useful for converting text representations of dates into actual Excel dates. This function helps ensure that your dates can be used in calculations, filtered, sorted, and formatted correctly. Follow these step-by-step instructions to master the DATEVALUE function in Excel.

Step 1: Open Your Excel File

1. Launch Excel: Start Microsoft Excel on your computer.
2. Open an Existing Workbook: Go to “File” > “Open” and browse for the workbook containing the text dates you want to convert. Double-click to open it.
3. Select the Appropriate Worksheet: Navigate to the worksheet that includes the text dates.

Step 2: Identify the Text Dates

1. Locate Text Dates: Identify the cells that contain the text representations of dates. These will usually be in a column.
2. Format Check: Ensure that the text dates are in a format that the DATEVALUE function can interpret (e.g., “MM/DD/YYYY”, “DD-MMM-YYYY”).

Step 3: Select the Destination Cell for the DATEVALUE Function

1. Choose Target Cell: Click on the cell where you want the resultant Excel date to appear (e.g., if your text date is in cell A1, you might use cell B1 for the DATEVALUE function).

Step 4: Enter the DATEVALUE Function

1. Activate Formula Mode: In your target cell, start by typing an equals sign = to enter formula mode.
2. Type DATEVALUE: Begin typing DATEVALUE( to initiate the function.
3. Add Cell Reference: Click on the cell with the text date (e.g., A2) to add it to the formula, or manually type A2.
4. Close Parenthesis: Type ) to close the function and complete the formula. Your formula should look like this: =DATEVALUE(A2)
5. Press Enter: Hit Enter on your keyboard to execute the function.

Step 5: Copy the Formula to Adjacent Cells (If Needed)

1. Select the Formula Cell: Click on the cell with the DATEVALUE function (e.g., B1).
2. Drag the Fill Handle: Hover over the bottom-right corner of the cell until you see a small ‘+’ sign. Click and drag down or across to copy the formula to adjacent cells.
3. Release Mouse Button: Release the mouse button when you have covered all the necessary cells. Excel will auto-update the formulas to reference the corresponding text date cells.

Step 6: Convert Resulting Numbers to Date Format

1. Select Resultant Dates: Highlight the cells containing the DATEVALUE results.
2. Open Format Cells Dialogue: Right-click and choose “Format Cells” from the context menu, or press Ctrl + 1.
3. Choose Date Format: In the “Format Cells” dialogue box, go to the “Number” tab. Select “Date” from the Category list.
4. Pick Date Type: Choose the desired date format from the available options.
5. Apply Format: Click “OK” to apply the date format.

Step 7: Adjust Any Necessary Formatting

1. Check Columns: Ensure that columns are wide enough to display the new date values correctly. Adjust column width if necessary.
2. Apply Additional Formatting: Apply any additional formatting styles (font size, color, bold, borders, etc.) to match your workbook’s design.

Step 8: Save Your Workbook

1. Save Your Work: Click on “File” > “Save” or press Ctrl + S to save the existing workbook.
2. Save As New Version: If you want to preserve the original data, select “File” > “Save As” and create a new version of your workbook.

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