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Use of EOMONTH & DATE Fuction

EOMONTH PROBLEM: EOMONTH function: Returns the serial number for the last day of the month that is the indicated number of months before or after start_date. Use EOMONTH to calculate maturity dates or due dates that fall on the last day of the month. Syntax: EOMONTH(start_date,months) Start_date is a date that represents the starting date. Dates should be entered by using the DATE function, or as results of other formulas or functions. For example, use DATE(2008,5,23) for the 23rd day of May, 2008. Months is the number of months before or after start_date. A positive value for months yields a future date; a negative value yields a past date. Remarks: Microsoft 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. Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh uses a different date system as its default. If start_date is not a valid date, EOMONTH returns the #NUM! error value. If start_date plus months yields an invalid date, EOMONTH returns the #NUM! error value. Problem: In excel 2003, EOMONTH is a "Analysis ToolPak" function and therefore works only when "Analysis ToolPak" add-in is installed and active. If the user saves the file without activating the Analysis ToolPak, all the cells where EOMONTH have been used will result in #NAME? error (and consequentially in #VALUE! error) and the file will be saved along with those error values. This may also create an external link (to the Analysis ToolPak add-in ATPVBAEN.XLA) in all the cells where EOMONTH have been used. In Case the model is opened in Excel which is not in English, when the model is opened and recalculated it would start giving #NAME! Error

SOLUTION: Use DATE function instead! DATE function: Returns the sequential serial number that represents a particular date. If the cell format was General before the function was entered, the result is formatted as a date. Syntax:
DATE(year,month,day) Year: The year argument can be one to four digits. Microsoft Excel interprets the year argument according to the date system

you are using. By default, Excel for Windows uses the 1900 date system; Excel for the Macintosh uses the 1904 date system.
Month is a positive or negative integer representing the month of the year from 1 to 12 (January to December). Day is a positive or negative integer representing the day of the month from 1 to 31.

Remarks: If month is greater than 12, month adds that number of months to the first month in the year specified. For example, DATE(2008,14,2) returns the serial number representing February 2, 2009. If month is less than 1, month subtracts that number of months plus 1 from the first month in the year specified. For example, DATE(2008,-3,2) returns the serial number representing September 2, 2007. If day is greater than the number of days in the month specified, day adds that number of days to the first day in the month. For example, DATE(2008,1,35) returns the serial number representing February 4, 2008. If day is less than 1, day subtracts that number of days plus one from the first day in the month. For example, DATE(2008,1,15) returns the serial number representing December 16, 2007. NOTE: To view the number as a serial number, select the cell and click Cells on the Format menu. Click the Number tab, and then click General in the Category box. About F1F9: We have long experience of spread sheet engineering and management, particularly for financial modelling. Our approach is collaborative: you have the commercial expertise, we have the spreadsheet expertise. Together we can meet your business objectives quickly and effectively. Good spreadsheets like good models are easy to maintain, use and understand. Our models are as simple as they can be, well-structured and accurate. F1F9s offices are in New Delhi, India.