Intro
Determining the weekday name from a date in Google Sheets can be useful for various tasks, such as scheduling, data analysis, and more. The process involves using specific functions that extract the day of the week from a given date. This guide will walk you through how to achieve this using Google Sheets' built-in functions.
The importance of being able to extract weekday names from dates cannot be overstated. It helps in organizing data by days of the week, which can be crucial for businesses, personal planning, and educational purposes. Google Sheets, with its powerful functions, makes this task straightforward. Whether you're analyzing sales data, planning events, or simply organizing your week, knowing how to get the weekday name from a date is a valuable skill.
Google Sheets offers multiple functions to work with dates and times, and the key to extracting the weekday name lies in using the right combination of these functions. The primary function for this purpose is the TEXT function, which formats a date as a string according to a specified format. Additionally, understanding how dates are represented in Google Sheets is essential for effectively using these functions.
Understanding Date Representation in Google Sheets
Google Sheets represents dates as serial numbers, starting from December 30, 1899, which is considered day 1. This system allows for easy date arithmetic but requires functions to convert these serial numbers back into human-readable formats, such as weekday names.
Using the TEXT Function to Get Weekday Name
The TEXT function in Google Sheets is used to format a value as text according to a specified format. To extract the weekday name from a date, you can use the TEXT function with the format "dddd" for the full weekday name or "ddd" for the abbreviated weekday name.
- Full Weekday Name:
=TEXT(A1, "dddd") - Abbreviated Weekday Name:
=TEXT(A1, "ddd")
Here, A1 is the cell containing the date from which you want to extract the weekday name.
Using the WEEKDAY Function
While the WEEKDAY function itself does not directly return the weekday name, it can be used in conjunction with the CHOOSE function to achieve a similar result. The WEEKDAY function returns a number representing the day of the week (1 = Sunday, 2 = Monday,..., 7 = Saturday).
=CHOOSE(WEEKDAY(A1), "Sunday", "Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday", "Saturday")
This formula uses the WEEKDAY function to determine the day of the week and then uses CHOOSE to select the corresponding weekday name.
Step-by-Step Guide to Using the TEXT Function
- Select the Cell: Choose the cell where you want to display the weekday name.
- Enter the Formula: Type
=TEXT(, then select the cell containing the date you want to convert, type, "dddd")for the full weekday name or, "ddd")for the abbreviated name, and press Enter. - Apply to Multiple Cells: If you have a list of dates, you can drag the fill handle (the small square at the bottom-right corner of the cell) down to apply the formula to all cells.
Practical Examples
- Example 1: If you have a date in cell A1 and you want to display the full weekday name in cell B1, you would use
=TEXT(A1, "dddd")in cell B1. - Example 2: For a list of dates in column A, to get the abbreviated weekday names in column B, you would use
=TEXT(A1, "ddd")in cell B1 and then drag the formula down.
Gallery of Date Functions in Google Sheets
Date Functions Gallery
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I format a date to show the weekday name in Google Sheets?
+You can use the TEXT function with the format "dddd" for the full weekday name or "ddd" for the abbreviated weekday name. For example, =TEXT(A1, "dddd") for the full name.
Can I use the WEEKDAY function to get the weekday name directly?
+No, the WEEKDAY function returns a number representing the day of the week. However, you can use it with the CHOOSE function to get the weekday name.
How do I apply the formula to a list of dates in Google Sheets?
+After entering the formula for the first date, you can drag the fill handle down to apply the formula to all cells in the list.
In conclusion, extracting the weekday name from a date in Google Sheets is a straightforward process that can be accomplished using the TEXT function or a combination of the WEEKDAY and CHOOSE functions. These methods provide flexibility and can be adapted to various needs, whether you're working with a single date or a list of dates. By mastering these functions, you can enhance your data analysis and presentation skills in Google Sheets. If you have any further questions or need more specific examples, don't hesitate to ask in the comments below. Share this article with others who might benefit from learning how to work with dates in Google Sheets, and explore more of our tutorials for improving your productivity and skills with Google's powerful spreadsheet tool.