Re: Complex Calculations

[John Machin <sjmachin lexicon net>]

Norman Frederick wrote:
> I am trying to create a spreadsheet to keep track of my wife's stock 
> transactions. I want it to track the info we need to furnish the IRS on 
> tax returns. Is there a way to create a formula or script that will run 
> in a cell to:
>  
> Read the dates in two cells.
>     Determine the number of days between the two dates.
>     Evaluate the number of days as greater or less than one year. 

Given the existence of leap years, the above is is rather ambiguous. You 
need DATEDIF(earlierdate, laterdate, "y") which gives you the number of 
complete years between 2 dates, based on one definition of complete 
year. You may need to do some adjustment like DATEDIF(earlierdate, 
laterdate+1, "y") depending on what the IRS's definition is for your 
particular purpose i.e. depends on whether the start day and end day are 
included or not.

>         Subtract numerical data from two cells.
>                 Place the result in a specific cell, based on the time 
> being more                     or less than one year.

And if it's exactly one year?

> I have found nothing so far that addresses this type operation.

In Gnumeric: Help / contents / function reference / Date/Time / ... 
DATEDIF is the 3rd function listed