Get Weekday Name in Excel

Introduction to Getting Weekday Name in Excel

Excel provides various functions to manipulate dates and times, including determining the weekday name from a given date. This functionality is crucial for scheduling, planning, and analyzing data that involves days of the week. In this article, we will explore how to get the weekday name in Excel using different methods.

Using the TEXT Function

One of the straightforward methods to get the weekday name from a date in Excel is by using the TEXT function. The TEXT function formats a number into a text string according to the specified format. For weekday names, you can use the following formats: - “dddd” for the full weekday name (e.g., Monday, Tuesday) - “ddd” for the abbreviated weekday name (e.g., Mon, Tue)

Here’s how you can use it: 1. Assume you have a date in cell A1. 2. To get the full weekday name, use the formula: =TEXT(A1, "dddd") 3. To get the abbreviated weekday name, use the formula: =TEXT(A1, "ddd")

Using the WEEKDAY Function with CHOOSE

Another method involves combining the WEEKDAY and CHOOSE functions. The WEEKDAY function returns a number representing the day of the week (1 for Sunday through 7 for Saturday), and the CHOOSE function returns a value from a list of values based on a position number.

Here’s how to do it: 1. Assume you have a date in cell A1. 2. Use the formula: =CHOOSE(WEEKDAY(A1), "Sunday", "Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday", "Saturday") - This formula works if your week starts on Sunday. If your week starts on Monday, you need to adjust the formula accordingly by using WEEKDAY(A1, 2) to make Monday the first day of the week.

Using VBA (Visual Basic for Applications)

For those comfortable with VBA, you can also create a custom function to return the weekday name. This method is more flexible and can be tailored to specific needs.

1. Open the Visual Basic Editor by pressing Alt + F11 or by navigating to Developer > Visual Basic.
2. In the Visual Basic Editor, insert a new module by right-clicking on any of the objects for your workbook listed in the “Project” window and choosing Insert > Module.
3. Paste the following code into the module:

Function GetWeekdayName(dateValue As Date) As String
    GetWeekdayName = Format(dateValue, "dddd")
End Function

1. Save the module by clicking File > Save (or press Ctrl + S).
2. Now, you can use this function in your Excel worksheet like any other function: =GetWeekdayName(A1)

Choosing the Right Method

The choice of method depends on your specific needs and preferences: - TEXT Function: Quick and easy for one-off conversions. - WEEKDAY with CHOOSE: Useful when you need to perform additional operations based on the day of the week. - VBA: Ideal for repetitive tasks or when integrating with other VBA scripts.

Table of Weekday Formats

Here is a table summarizing the formats you can use with the TEXT function for dates:

Format Code	Example Output
“dddd”	Monday
“ddd”	Mon
“dd”	01

📝 Note: The output of date functions can be influenced by your system's regional settings, so the first day of the week and date formats might vary.

To wrap up the discussion on getting the weekday name in Excel, it’s clear that there are multiple approaches, each with its advantages. Whether you’re working with the TEXT function, combining WEEKDAY with CHOOSE, or creating a custom VBA function, Excel provides the flexibility to handle weekday name conversions efficiently. By choosing the method that best fits your workflow and needs, you can streamline your data analysis and presentation tasks.