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Quick answer. Use =WORKDAY(F2,E2,H2:H3) after F2 is a true start date, E2 is the number of workdays, and H2:H3 contains true closure dates. Four workdays from Nov 24, 2026 lands on Wed Dec 2 in this fictional schedule.
Use the fictional practice files: deadline-parts-practice.csv and closure-parts-practice.csv, plus the independent answer check. Work in a copy. This guide stands on its own without the video.
Scope and limits. The Nov 26–27 closure dates are fictional company policy, not a statement about all US businesses. WORKDAY assumes Saturday/Sunday weekends; another schedule needs WORKDAY.INTL. Build true numeric dates from the CSV parts.
1. Construct actual date values
Open deadline-parts-practice.csv in an Excel workbook copy and use closure-parts-practice.csv as the fictional closure list. Enter =DATE(B2,C2,D2) in F2 of the deadline sheet to produce Nov 24, 2026. From the two closure rows, enter =DATE(2026,11,26) in H2 and =DATE(2026,11,27) in H3 of that same sheet. Format F2 and H2:H3 as dates.
Checkpoint: F2 Nov 24; H2:H3 Nov 26 and 27.
2. See the weekday-only baseline
Put =WORKDAY(F2,E2) in a spare result cell. With E2 equal to 4, the normal weekday-only answer is Monday, Nov 30. This helps you see exactly what the optional holiday argument changes.
Checkpoint: Without closure list: Mon Nov 30.
3. Pass the two closure dates
Enter =WORKDAY(F2,E2,H2:H3). The holiday range must contain Nov 26 and Nov 27 as numeric Excel dates. WORKDAY then skips them and the weekend when counting four workdays after the start.
Checkpoint: With closure list: Wed Dec 2.
4. Count four accepted days by hand
Count by calendar: Wed Nov 25 = 1; Thu/Fri Nov 26–27 = company closure; Sat/Sun Nov 28–29 = weekend; Mon Nov 30 = 2; Tue Dec 1 = 3; Wed Dec 2 = 4. The start date is not counted as day one.
Checkpoint: Day 4 is Wed Dec 2.
Verify the result
Build F2 with =DATE(B2,C2,D2): Tuesday Nov 24, 2026. Using the two fictional closure rows, enter =DATE(2026,11,26) in H2 and =DATE(2026,11,27) in H3. =WORKDAY(F2,E2) gives Monday Nov 30; =WORKDAY(F2,E2,H2:H3) gives Wednesday Dec 2. Counted days with closures: Nov 25 day 1, Nov 30 day 2, Dec 1 day 3, Dec 2 day 4.
If it still does not work
If Excel displays a serial number, format the result cell as Date without changing its value. If you see #VALUE!, verify the start and holiday cells are numeric dates, not text. If your weekend differs, use WORKDAY.INTL with a documented weekend pattern.
Official sources
- WORKDAY function (checked 26 October 2026).
- DATE function (checked 26 October 2026).
Any instructional panel without a marked actual-app capture is an illustrative diagram of the fictional exercise.
Practice downloads.
The exercise files contain invented information. Save a local copy before editing.