Excel function guide · Dates
EOMONTH function in Excel
EOMONTH returns the last day of the month a given number of months before or after a date. EOMONTH(date, 0) is the end of the same month, which makes it the standard tool for month-end reports and "end of following month" payment terms.
Syntax
=EOMONTH(start_date, months)
=EDATE(start_date, months)
| Argument | Required? | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| start_date | Required | A date, usually a cell. |
| months | Required | Months to move: 0 for the same month, 1 for next month, -1 for last month. |
EOMONTH examples
Every example uses this small table. The results are what Excel shows in the cell.
| A | B | C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Invoice | Invoice date | Amount |
| 2 | INV-301 | 15 Jan 2026 | 1,200 |
| 3 | INV-302 | 10 Feb 2026 | 860 |
| 4 | INV-303 | 31 Mar 2026 | 2,450 |
| 5 | INV-304 | 20 Nov 2026 | 530 |
1. End of the same month
=EOMONTH(B2, 0)
Result: 31 Jan 2026
The last day of January, the month of the invoice date.
2. End of the following month
=EOMONTH(B3, 1)
Result: 31 Mar 2026
A February invoice on "end of following month" terms is due on 31 March.
3. First day of the month
=EOMONTH(B2, -1)+1
Result: 1 Jan 2026
The end of the previous month, plus one day.
4. Same day next month (EDATE)
=EDATE(B4, 1)
Result: 30 Apr 2026
EDATE keeps the day number; when that day doesn't exist (31 April) it uses the month's last day.
Try it now
Practise EOMONTH in a live sheet.
Type each formula yourself. Answers are checked by the same engine as the full course. No account needed.
Step 1 of 3
In D2, return the last day of the month of the invoice date in B2.
Common EOMONTH mistakes
A number instead of a date
EOMONTH returns a date serial number such as 46053. Format the cell as a date to see 31 Jan 2026.
EOMONTH versus EDATE
EOMONTH always lands on the last day of a month; EDATE keeps the same day number. For "30 days after the invoice", neither: just add 30 to the date.
Text that isn't a date
A date typed as text that Excel doesn't recognise gives #VALUE!. Check that the start date is right-aligned (a real date) before using it.
The sign of months
Negative months go backwards: EOMONTH(B2, -1) is the end of the previous month.
Practise this in Excel Quest
EOMONTH, EDATE & working days Members
Course 8 · Dates & Time · 13 min
Set payment due dates, renewal dates and working-day deadlines the way finance and operations teams do. The lesson covers EOMONTH, EDATE, WORKDAY and NETWORKDAYS for payment due dates, renewals and approval deadlines.
This lesson is included in Formula Quest memberships. A free account starts you on the free lessons of the Excel Quest curriculum.