Excel: Documentation Error in YEARFRAC Function

ID: Q89026


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SUMMARY

In the "Microsoft Excel Function Reference," version 4.0, page 469, the example of the YEARFRAC function is incorrect. The last comment in the Remarks section of the YEARFRAC function is also incorrect.


MORE INFORMATION

The example that reads:

YEARFRAC(DATEVALUE("01/01/91"),
DATEVALUE("07/01/91"),3) equals 0.49589

Should read:

YEARFRAC(DATEVALUE("01/01/91"),
DATEVALUE("06/30/91"),3) equals 0.49589

The last comment in the REMARKS section reads:


   * If start_date >= end_date, YEARFRAC returns the #NUM! error value. 


This is incorrect. If the starting date and ending date are both valid serial dates, the YEARFRAC function does not return #NUM! if the start_date is greater than or equal to the end_date.

Note that this second problem has been corrected in the Microsoft Excel version 5.0 Help file.


REFERENCES

"Microsoft Excel Function Reference," version 4.0, page 469

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Last Reviewed: March 26, 1999