Date Differences in Google Sheets
Formula
Measure the span between two dates by the row. =VERVE("datecalculator", A2, B2) returns the difference down a column — Sheets or Excel.
=VERVE("datecalculator", A2, B2)=VERVE.CALL("datecalculator", A2, B2)A2 holds start, B2 holds end. Arguments go in that order — the same order as the table below.
With literal values
Nothing has to come from a cell — typed values work the same way.
=VERVE("datecalculator", "2022-01-01", "2024-08-31")Inputs
Required inputs are positional, in the order below. Everything else is passed as a "name", value pair after them — the same shape as SUMIFS.
| Input | Type | Where it goes | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
startRequired | string | argument 2 | The start date for calculating the difference (format: YYYY-MM-DD) (e.g. 2022-01-01) |
endRequired | string | argument 3 | The end date for calculating the difference (format: YYYY-MM-DD) (e.g. 2024-08-31) |
What lands in your sheet
With no "field" pair the formula spills the whole response as two columns — field name on the left, value on the right — starting at the cell you typed in. Make sure the cells below and to the right are empty.
Pulling one value
Add a "field" pair to get a single cell back instead of a table. The field name is the dot-path from the table below.
=VERVE("datecalculator", A2, B2, "field", "minutes")=VERVE.CALL("datecalculator", A2, B2, "field", "minutes")Available fields
#PREMIUM(field) rather than a value, so a locked field never looks like a real answer.| Use as "field" | Type | Example cell value | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
minutes | number | 524160 | Total number of minutes between start and end dates |
hours | number | 8736 | Total number of hours between start and end dates |
days | number | 364 | Total number of days between start and end dates |
weeks | number | 52 | Total number of weeks between start and end dates |
months | number | 11 | Total number of months between start and end dates |
years | number | 0 | Total number of years between start and end dates |
start | object | {…} | |
start.date | string | 2022-01-01 | Formatted start date in YYYY-MM-DD format |
start.dayPremium | string | Saturday | Day of week name for the start date |
start.monthPremium | string | January | Month name for the start date |
start.year | string | 2022 | Year for the start date |
start.wordsPremium | string | Saturday, January 1st 2022 | Human-readable formatted start date with day and month |
end | object | {…} | |
end.date | string | 2022-12-31 | Formatted end date in YYYY-MM-DD format |
end.dayPremium | string | Saturday | Day of week name for the end date |
end.monthPremium | string | December | Month name for the end date |
end.year | string | 2022 | Year for the end date |
end.wordsPremium | string | Saturday, December 31st 2022 | Human-readable formatted end date with day and month |
Filling a whole column
Hand the first argument a range instead of a cell and the add-in makes one batched call for the lot, then spills the answers down. That is faster than dragging the formula and costs the same credits — one per row looked up.
=VERVE("datecalculator", A2:A100, B2, "field", "minutes")=VERVE.CALL("datecalculator", A2:A100, B2, "field", "minutes")A2:A100 is the column of start values. The result spills down alongside it, one row per input, blanks skipped.
When a cell doesn't fill
A failed lookup returns readable text starting with #ERR rather than a spreadsheet error, because Excel cannot show a custom message on a real error — you would get a bare #VALUE! with no reason. The trade-off is that IFERROR() won't catch it; test with LEFT(cell, 4) = "#ERR" instead.
| Cell reads | What happened |
|---|---|
#ERR Not connected | No API key saved. Open the side panel and connect your account. |
#ERR Replace <name> with a cell or value | The preview formula was copied as-is. Swap the placeholder for a cell reference. |
#ERR No "x" in datecalculator | An option name that this source doesn't take. The message lists the ones it does. |
#ERR No data point "…" | The "field" path isn't in the response. Check the dot-path against the table above. |
#PREMIUM(field) | The field exists but your plan doesn't include it. |
#ERR Out of credits | The month's credits are spent. Usage resets on your billing date. |
Before the formula works
The add-in reads the API key you saved once in the side panel — the key never goes in the formula, so a shared sheet doesn't leak it and a collaborator without access simply sees the last calculated values.
- Install the add-in for Google Sheets or Excel.
- Open the side panel and sign in, or paste a key from your dashboard.
- Type the formula above into any cell.
Other ways to use Date Differences in Google Sheets
Set up Date Differences in Google Sheets on VerveSheets, or reach the same source a different way. Your VerveSheets account and credits work on all of them — one key, one balance.
Frequently asked questions
Does Date Differences in Google Sheets work in both Google Sheets and Excel?
Yes — the same source, the same arguments. Sheets calls it =VERVE("datecalculator", …) and Excel calls it =VERVE.CALL("datecalculator", …); that function name is the only difference.
Do the cells recalculate on their own?
They recalculate when the sheet does — on edit, on open, or on a manual recalc. Each recalculation is a fresh call and spends credits, so for a large static column it's worth copying the results and pasting them as values.
How many credits does a filled column cost?
1 credit per row looked up, whether you drag the formula or pass a range. The range form is one HTTP call instead of many, but the credit count is the same.
Can I share the sheet without sharing my key?
Yes. The key is stored against your account, not in the file. Collaborators see the values already in the cells; formulas only recalculate for someone who has connected their own account.
Why is a cell showing #ERR instead of an error?
So you can read the reason. Excel can't display a custom message on a real spreadsheet error, so the add-in returns the explanation as text on both platforms instead.