Calc Guide

time value, it is displayed as a number. For example, 01/01/2000 12:00
PM, converts to 36526.5. This is just a matter of formatting; the actual
value is always stored and manipulated as a number. To see the date or
time displayed in a standard format, change the number format (date
or time) accordingly.
To set the default date format used by Calc. go to Tools > Options >
OpenOffice.org Calc > Calculate.
Caution
When entering dates, slashes or dashes used as date separators
may be interpreted as arithmetic operators. To keep dates from
being interpreted as parts of formulas, and thus returning
erroneous results, always place them in quotation marks, for
example, "12/08/52".
Table 38: Data and time functions
Syntax Description
DATE(year; month; day) Converts a date written as year, month, day to
an internal serial number and displays it in the
cell’s formatting. Year is an integer between
1583 and 9956 or 0 and 99. Month is an
integer between 1 and 12. Day is an integer
between 1 and 31.
DATEVALUE("Text") Returns the internal date number for text in
quotes. Text is a valid date expression and
must be entered with quotation marks.
DAY(number) Returns the day, as an integer, of the given
date value. A negative date/time value can be
entered. Number is a time value.
DAYS(date_2; date_1) Calculates the difference, in days, between
two date values. Date_1 is the start date.
Date_2 is the end date. If Date_2 is an earlier
date than Date_1, the result is a negative
number.
DAYS360(date_1; date_2;
type)
Returns the difference between two dates
based on the 360 day year used in interest
calculations. If Date_2 is earlier than Date_1,
the function will return a negative number.
Type (optional) determines the type of
difference calculation: the US method (0) or
the European method (≠0).
DAYSINMONTH(date) Calculates the number of days in the month of
the given date.
Appendix B Description of Functions 459