Adding 30 to a date is not the same as adding one month. EDATE moves a date forward or back by whole months and keeps the day, so 15 Jan plus 1 month is 15 Feb.
Syntax
=EDATE(start_date, months)
Renewal date after 12 months
=EDATE(A2, 12)
Go back in time
Use a negative number: =EDATE(A2, -3) gives the date three months earlier.
What happens at month end
If the day does not exist in the new month, EDATE uses the last day of that month. 31 Jan plus 1 month gives 28 Feb (or 29 in a leap year).
Build a payment schedule
Put the first date in A2 and type =EDATE(A2,1) in A3. Copy down, and every row is one month later. For the EMI amount, use PMT.
EDATE or EOMONTH
Use EDATE to keep the same day. Use EOMONTH when you always want the last day of the month, for example month-end reports.
Common mistake
The answer shows a number such as 46054. Change the cell format to Date.
Worked example
Start date 15-Jan-2026 in A2. =EDATE(A2,3) returns 15-Apr-2026. =EDATE(A2,-1) returns 15-Dec-2025. Format the result as a date.
Common mistakes
- Seeing a number like 46127. Format the cell as Date.
- Passing text instead of a real date.
- Expecting end-of-month dates. Use EOMONTH for that.
Frequently asked questions
What happens on the 31st?
EDATE uses the last day of a shorter month, so 31-Jan plus one month is 28-Feb (or 29).
EDATE or EOMONTH?
EDATE keeps the same day. EOMONTH gives the last day of the month.
Can I use it for due dates?
Yes, for monthly cycles such as EMIs or subscriptions.
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Practice these formulas: EDATE, EOMONTH, PMT.
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