Have you ever needed to generate random dates in an Excel spreadsheet? You may not need it often, but when you do, this tip is quite handy. This is the kind of training we cover in our Advanced Excel class, and help you with in your office!
To create random numbers, use this formula:
=RANDBETWEEN(DATE(2003,1,1),DATE(2014,9,30))
The first argument, DATE(2003,1,1), is the low end of the range (earliest), and DATE(2014,9,30) was the high end of the range (most recent).
This creates a random date between 1/1/2003 and 9/30/14. Then, format the number so it appears as a “Date” to turn it into an understandable format.
Last, drag the AutoFill Handle (the little dot in the bottom corner of the cell) down to the bottom of my column to duplicate the formula.
If you want just a random number between two values, you would do the same thing, but replace the DATE(2003,1,1) with the low and high numbers.
Need to learn Excel quickly? Check out Alicia’s online course, Learn Excel in 3 Hours Flat. For only $59 you get lifetime access to the course.
