DATEVALUE

Returns the serial number of the date represented by date_text. Use DATEVALUE to convert a date represented by text to a serial number.
Syntax
DATEVALUE(date_text)
Date_text    is text that represents a date in a Microsoft Excel date format. For example, "1/30/2008" or "30-Jan-2008" are text strings within quotation marks that represent dates. Using the default date system in Excel for Windows, date_text must represent a date from January 1, 1900, to December 31, 9999. Using the default date system in Excel for the Macintosh, date_text must represent a date from January 1, 1904, to December 31, 9999. DATEVALUE returns the #VALUE! error value if date_text is out of this range.
If the year portion of date_text is omitted, DATEVALUE uses the current year from your computer's built-in clock. Time information in date_text is ignored.
Remarks

• Excel stores dates as sequential serial numbers so they can be used in calculations. By default, January 1, 1900 is serial number 1, and January 1, 2008 is serial number 39448 because it is 39,448 days after January 1, 1900. Excel for the Macintosh uses a different date system as its default.
• Most functions automatically convert date values to serial numbers.
  

Example
The example may be easier to understand if you copy it to a blank worksheet.

A	B
Formula	Description (Result)
=DATEVALUE("8/22/2008")	Serial number of the text date, using the 1900 date system (39682)
=DATEVALUE("22-AUG-2008")	Serial number of the text date, using the 1900 date system (39682)
=DATEVALUE("2008/02/23")	Serial number of the text date, using the 1900 date system (39501)
=DATEVALUE("5-JUL")	Serial number of the text date, using the 1900 date system, and assuming the computer's built-in clock is set to 2008 (39634)

Note  To view the number as a date, select the cell and click Cells on the Format menu. Click the Number tab, and then click Date in the Category box.

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