How do you calculate age between two dates in Google Sheets?

You calculate age between two dates in Google Sheets using the DATEDIF function.

Here's how to use it:

Syntax:

=DATEDIF(start_date, end_date, unit)

Explanation:

• start_date: The date the period begins (e.g., birth date).
• end_date: The date the period ends (e.g., today's date).
• unit: A code that specifies the unit of time you want to calculate.

Common Units:

Unit	Description	Example Output
"Y"	Years completed	25
"M"	Months completed	300
"D"	Days between dates	9131
"YD"	Days, ignoring years	0
"MD"	Days, ignoring months and years	0
"YM"	Months, ignoring years	0

Example:

Let's say the birth date is in cell A1 (e.g., 1999-10-25) and you want to calculate the age as of today. You would use the following formula:

=DATEDIF(A1, TODAY(), "Y")

This formula calculates the number of whole years between the date in cell A1 and today's date.

Important Considerations:

• TODAY() Function: The TODAY() function automatically updates to the current date. You can also use a specific date instead of TODAY() if needed. For example: =DATEDIF(A1, "2024-10-25", "Y").

• DATEDIF Quirks: DATEDIF isn't officially documented by Google, but it functions reliably.

• Error Handling: Ensure both the start and end dates are valid date formats for accurate results.

• Alternative Calculation for specific date: You can use cell referencing like =DATEDIF(A1, B1, "Y") where A1 and B1 contains start and end dates respectively.