Dates function
Excel MONTH function
MONTH returns the month of a date as a number from 1 (January) to 12 (December). Use it to group sales by month, work out the quarter, or check whether a date falls in a given month.
=MONTH(date)Arguments
date- The date to read, usually a cell that holds a date.
MONTH examples
Every result below was calculated live from this sample sheet.
| A | B | C | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Order date | Order | Customer | Total |
| 2 | 2026-02-11 | SO-5501 | Harbor Cafe | 320 |
| 3 | 2026-05-27 | SO-5502 | Pine & Co | 145.5 |
| 4 | 2026-08-03 | SO-5503 | Harbor Cafe | 610 |
| 5 | 2026-11-19 | SO-5504 | Northgate | 88 |
Result: 5
Returns 5, because the order was placed in May.
Result: 3
Turns the month into a quarter number. August is quarter 3.
Result: Holiday rush
Tags orders from November and December.
Result: today’s date-based value
The current month number.
How to use MONTH
- Click the cell for the result.
- Type =MONTH(
- Click the cell with the date.
- Press Enter. Format as General if you see a date.
Common MONTH mistakes
Expecting a month name
MONTH always returns a number. Use =TEXT(A4,"mmmm") for "August" or "mmm" for "Aug".
Grouping by month across several years
MONTH ignores the year, so May 2025 and May 2026 both give 5. Combine it with YEAR.
The cell shows January 5, 1900
The result cell kept a date format. Switch it to General.
MONTH FAQ
How do I get the month name from a date in Excel?
Use TEXT instead of MONTH: =TEXT(A2,"mmmm") gives the full name, like August, and =TEXT(A2,"mmm") gives Aug.
How do I find the quarter from a date in Excel?
Divide the month by 3 and round up: =ROUNDUP(MONTH(A2)/3,0). It returns 1 to 4.
How do I sum sales by month in Excel?
Use SUMIFS with a start and end date for that month, or add a helper column with =MONTH(A2) and use SUMIF on it.
Practice MONTH in these lessons
Guides that use MONTH
Related functions
Updated 2026-10-31