Due Dates in Google Sheets: Set Up Reminders and Tracking

To track due dates in Google Sheets, enter each deadline in a date-formatted column, then use Format > Conditional formatting to highlight overdue or upcoming work. Sheets does not send an automatic alert when a date in a cell arrives, but color rules, filters, and calendar or email workflows can make deadlines easier to manage.

Set up a due-date tracker

A simple tracker works best when each row represents one task and each column has one purpose. For example, use columns for the task, due date, owner, status, and notes. Keep the due date in its own column rather than typing it into a description such as “Send draft by Friday”; a real date value can be sorted, filtered, compared, and used in formulas.

Enter headings in row 1, such as Task, Due date, Owner, and Status.
Enter each deadline in the Due date column. Use a consistent date format for the whole column.
Select the date cells and choose Format > Number > Date. If you want a particular display, use Format > Number > Custom date and time.
Add a status such as Not started, In progress, or Done so completed tasks can be distinguished from late ones.

For instance, a project list might contain “Review budget” with a due date of May 18, 2026, an owner, and an In progress status. When that date passes, a conditional-formatting rule can flag the row until the status changes to Done. The date remains useful for sorting even after the task is completed.

Make sure Sheets recognizes the date

Dates that look alike on screen may be interpreted differently depending on the spreadsheet’s locale. In a month/day/year locale, 4/5/2026 usually means April 5; in a day/month/year locale, it may mean May 4. Check File > Settings to review the spreadsheet’s locale, and use an unambiguous entry such as May 4, 2026 if you are unsure. The date display format can be changed without changing the underlying date value.

Google Sheets stores recognized dates as numeric date values, which lets it compare them with TODAY() and sort them chronologically. A date pasted as plain text may look correct but fail to behave like a date. If sorting puts dates in an unexpected order, or a comparison rule does not work, check whether the cells are real dates and whether the locale matches the way the values were entered. Re-entering the date after setting the locale or format can help; simply changing how text is displayed will not always convert text into a date.

Highlight overdue and upcoming work

Conditional formatting changes a cell’s appearance when a rule is true. To color overdue tasks, select the range you want to format—for example, A2:D100—and choose Format > Conditional formatting. In the side panel, set “Format cells if” to “Custom formula is,” enter the formula below, and choose a fill color. This example assumes task details are in A, due dates in B, and status in C, with data beginning in row 2:

=AND($B2<>"",$B2<TODAY(),$C2<>"Done")

The dollar signs keep the rule looking at columns B and C as it evaluates each row, while the row number adjusts. A blank due date is ignored, and tasks marked Done are not flagged. If your status wording or column positions differ, adjust the references and text accordingly. To highlight only the due-date cell, apply the rule to B2:B100 rather than the entire row range.

To highlight items due today, add a second rule using the same range and layout:

=AND($B2=TODAY(),$C2<>"Done")

For upcoming work, a rule can mark deadlines within the next seven days. With the same columns and starting row, use:

=AND($B2>=TODAY(),$B2<=TODAY()+7,$C2<>"Done")

Choose distinct colors with a clear meaning—for example, red for overdue, amber for due soon, and green or no fill for completed items. These rules update as TODAY() changes, but formatting is only a visual signal; it does not send a notification or assign the task to anyone.

Use formulas for calculated deadlines

If a due date is based on a start date and a fixed number of calendar days, Sheets can calculate it. With the start date in A2 and the number of days in B2, enter this in C2:

=A2+B2

For example, if A2 contains May 4, 2026 and B2 contains 7, the result is May 11, 2026. Format C2 as a date so it displays as a deadline rather than a serial number. This calculation counts calendar days, including weekends.

For a deadline after a number of working days, use WORKDAY. With the start date in A2, the number of working days in B2, and optional holiday dates in E2:E10, enter this in C2:

=WORKDAY(A2,B2,$E$2:$E$10)

If A2 is Monday, May 4, 2026, and B2 is 7, the result is Wednesday, May 13, 2026, because the count excludes the starting date, weekends, and any listed holidays. The holiday range is optional; if you do not have a holiday list, use =WORKDAY(A2,B2). Confirm that the chosen workweek and holiday list match your organization’s schedule. A standard WORKDAY calculation treats Saturday and Sunday as weekends; for a different weekend pattern, Sheets also provides WORKDAY.INTL.

Sort and filter deadlines

Filters are useful when a tracker has many owners, projects, or statuses. Select the header row and data, then choose Data > Create a filter. The filter controls let you show only a particular owner or status, or sort the due-date column from earliest to latest. Sorting by earliest date is a quick way to find the next deadline; filtering out Done tasks focuses the view on open work.

Take care to sort the full table, not just the due-date cells. Sorting one column alone can separate a date from its task or owner. If the sheet is shared and people need different views at the same time, consider using a filter view from the Data menu rather than changing the shared filter for everyone. A saved view can be useful for an individual review, while the underlying rows remain together.

What reminders Google Sheets can and cannot send

Google Sheets does not provide a built-in setting that watches a date column and automatically emails the task owner when a deadline is approaching. Its notification settings are about spreadsheet activity, such as edits or form submissions, not a reminder triggered by the value in a due-date cell. In the web interface, spreadsheet change notifications are available through Tools > Notification settings > Edit notifications; they should not be mistaken for deadline alerts.

For a small list, a practical routine is to filter for open work and review upcoming dates regularly. If an actual alert is required, alternatives include putting the deadline in Google Calendar or Google Tasks, or creating an automation with Google Apps Script or an approved workflow service. Those options require setup and, depending on the tool, permissions or maintenance. A script should be designed around the sheet’s columns, time zone, recipient list, and desired reminder schedule; avoid assuming that a highlight rule will email anyone.

Choose a layout that stays reliable

A tracker is easier to maintain when it separates information instead of encoding several facts in one cell. Useful fields often include the task, due date, status, owner, and project. You may also want a “Last updated” or “Priority” column, but only add fields people will keep current. Agree on status names in advance, because a rule looking for Done will not recognize variations such as Finished or Complete.

Use one date per task. If a task has a start date and a deadline, keep them in separate columns.
Use a status field. It lets rules distinguish late open work from completed work.
Keep headers in one row. A single header row makes sorting and filtering more predictable.
Protect important formulas if needed. In a shared sheet, consider restricting edits to calculated columns so someone does not accidentally replace a formula with a typed value.
Document the conventions. Tell collaborators which date format, time zone, status labels, and owner names to use.

Google Sheets runs in a browser and saves edits to the shared file, so collaborators can see changes according to their access and connection. Excel also supports date values, formulas such as TODAY() and WORKDAY(), filters, and conditional formatting, but menus and some collaboration features differ. The steps above use Google Sheets menus and should not be followed as if they were Excel ribbon instructions.

Common problems and fixes

A date appears as a number. The value may still be a valid date, but the cell is formatted as a number. Select it and choose Format > Number > Date. If that does not help, the entry may be text rather than a date, so verify its locale and re-enter it.

Everything is marked overdue. Check that the conditional-formatting range starts on the same row referenced in the formula. For a range starting at A2, the row references should begin with 2. Also check whether the due dates are in the column referenced by the formula and whether completed statuses match the exact text used in the rule.

Due-today highlighting seems wrong. TODAY() uses the spreadsheet’s current date, and the spreadsheet’s time-zone setting can affect when that date changes. Review File > Settings if dates appear to roll over at an unexpected time. Also confirm that a cell contains a date without an unintended time component if exact equality is important.

Sorting produces a strange order. Mixed text and actual dates can sort inconsistently. Standardize the entries as real dates, then sort the complete range so task details remain attached to their deadlines. A date displayed as 05/04/2026 may also be interpreted differently by collaborators using a different locale.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Google Sheets remind me automatically when a due date arrives?
Not with a built-in, date-triggered reminder for an ordinary cell. Conditional formatting can flag a deadline in the sheet, while Calendar, Tasks, Apps Script, or an approved automation can provide alerts if configured.

How do I highlight overdue dates in Google Sheets?
Select the task range, choose Format > Conditional formatting, and add a custom formula rule. A rule using TODAY() can compare each deadline with the current date; include a blank-date check and a status check if completed work should not be highlighted.

How can I calculate a due date excluding weekends?
Use WORKDAY with a start date and a number of working days. Add a holiday-date range if relevant. Check the example and your workweek assumptions, since a standard WORKDAY calculation excludes Saturday and Sunday.

Why does my due date show as a number?
Sheets stores recognized dates as numeric values. Apply Format > Number > Date to change the display. If it still does not behave as a date, check whether the cell contains text or whether the spreadsheet locale caused the entry to be interpreted differently.

Can I make a dropdown for task status?
Yes. Select the status cells and choose Insert > Dropdown to create selectable values such as Not started, In progress, and Done. Use the same wording in conditional-formatting rules so the rules match the chosen status.

Will a due-date formula update by itself?
A formula such as TODAY() recalculates as the current date changes, subject to the spreadsheet’s calculation settings and time zone. A calculated deadline based on fixed start-date and duration cells changes when those inputs change; it does not itself send a reminder.

Try it: the Date Difference Calculator: days, months, years and weekdays between two dates, with the DATEDIF formulas.

More in How-to basics

Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

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