Date & Timebeginner
Extract month and year from a date with MONTH and YEAR
=YEAR(A2)&"-"&TEXT(MONTH(A2),"00")
Function reference
MONTH in Excel & Google Sheets
MONTH is used in 1 formula pattern in this library. Browse worked examples below, or use the generator to build a custom variation for your specific data.
1 beginnerBuild a custom MONTH formula →
When to use MONTH
- Create a month column from a transaction date so you can group or filter data by month without a pivot table.
Worked examples (1)
Common errors with MONTH
Month shows as a date
MONTH returns an integer, but if the cell is formatted as a date it may display as a date serial. Change the cell format to General or Number.
Sort order is wrong
Jan, Feb, Mar sorts alphabetically and gets the order wrong. Use the YEAR-MM format (e.g. 2026-03) so chronological sorting works correctly.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get the full month name like January?
Use TEXT(A2,"MMMM") to return the full month name, or TEXT(A2,"MMM") for the abbreviated version.
Need a custom variation?
Describe your specific MONTH problem and get a formula written for your exact data.
Open generator with MONTH