This guide will discuss how to use the COUPDAYSNC function in Google Sheets.
Table of Contents
When we need to calculate the number of days from the settlement date until the next coupon or interest payment, we can easily do this using the COUPDAYSNC function in Google Sheets.
The rules for using the COUPDAYSNC function in Google Sheets are the following:
- The settlement and maturity arguments must be entered using the DATE, TO_DATE, or other date parsing functions rather than by entering text.
- If we omit the day_count_convention argument, the default value is 0, the US (NASD) 30/360-day count convention.
- We must make sure to enter dates in the correct format YYYY-MM-DD.
- The frequency argument refers to the annual interest or coupon payments. Thus, we must input 1 for annual, 2 for semi-annually, and 4 for quarterly payments.
Google Sheets offers several functions we can utilize to calculate different financial factors, such as the COUPDAYSNC function.
This function is used to calculate the number of days from the settlement date to the next coupon date of a security that pays periodic interest.
Other examples are the YIELD function, the PRICEMAT function, and the YIELDDISC function.
The COUPDAYSNC function is beneficial in financial analysis to determine the number of days remaining until the next interest payment. Moreover, we consider the settlement date, maturity date, frequency of payments, and day count convention.
In this guide, we will provide a step-by-step tutorial on how to use the COUPDAYSNC function in Google Sheets. Additionally, we will explore the syntax and a real example of using the function.
Great! Let’s dive right in.
The Anatomy of the COUPDAYSNC Function
The syntax or the way we write the COUPDAYSNC function is as follows:
=COUPDAYSNC(settlement,maturity,frequency,[day_count_convention])
- = the equal sign is how we start any function in Google Sheets.
- COUPDAYSNC() is our
COUPDAYSNCfunction. This function is used to calculate the number of days from the settlement date until the next coupon, or interest payment. - settlement is a required argument. It refers to the settlement date of the security, the date after issuance when the security is delivered to the buyer.
- maturity is also a required argument. This is the maturity or end date of the security when it can be redeemed at the face or par value.
- frequency is another required argument. It refers to the number of interest or coupon payments per year. This can be 1, 2, or 4.
- day_count_convention is an optional argument. It is an indicator of what day count method to use. By default, the value is 0, which indicates the US (NASD) 30/360-day count convention.
The Optional Argument of the COUPDAYSNC Function
The COUPDAYSNC function has several required arguments to work properly. However, there is only one optional argument that we can utilize to apply the appropriate day count method to get accurate results.
The day_count_convention is the only optional argument of the COUPDAYSNC function, which allows us to indicate what day-count method to use in the formula.
By default, the value of the day_count_convention is 0 meaning the formula will use the US (NASD) 30/360-day count convention. This assumes there are 30 days in a month and 360 days in a year as per the National Association of Securities Dealers standard.
The value 1 indicates Actual/Actual, which is calculated based on the actual number of days between the specified dates and the actual number of days in the intervening years. This is often used for US Treasury Bonds and Bills, but also the most relevant for non-financial use.
If we input 2, we are indicating the Actual/360-day count convention. This is calculated based on the actual number of dates between the specified dates but assumes there are 360 days in a year.
The value 3 indicates Actual/365-day count convention, which is calculated based on the actual number of days between the specified dates but assumes there are 365 days in a year.
Lastly, the value 4 indicates the European 30/360-day count convention. This is similar to the default 0, which is calculated based on the assumption that there are 30 days in a month and 360 days in a year. However, according to the European financial conventions, this day count convention will adjust the end-of-month dates.
We can refer to the table below for an easier overview of the day_count_convention argument.
| Value | Indicates | Description |
| 0 | US (NASD) 30/360 | 30-day months and 360-day year |
| 1 | Actual/Actual | Actual number of days and the actual number of days in the intervening years |
| 2 | Actual/360 | Actual number of days and 360-day year |
| 3 | Actual/365 | Actual number of days and 365-day year |
| 4 | European 30/360 | 30-day months and 360-day years, but adjusts end-of-month dates to European financial conventions |
A Real Example of Using COUPDAYSNC Function in Google Sheets
Let’s say we want to calculate the number of days from the settlement date to the next coupon date for a bond with these data:
- a settlement date of January 1, 2023
- a maturity date of January 1, 2028
- semi-annual coupon payments
- using the Actual/actual day count convention
Our initial data set would look like this:
The spreadsheet above shows all the values we need to calculate the number of days until the next coupon payment. We have the settlement date, the maturity date, and the frequency of coupon payments.
We can easily calculate this using the COUPDAYSNC formula below:
=COUPDAYSNC(B1,B2,2,1)
In the formula above, we first selected the cell containing the settlement date, which is B1 (1/1/2023). Then, we selected the cell containing the maturity date, which is B2 (1/1/2028).
Afterward, we typed in 2 since our frequency of coupon payment is semi-annually. Lastly, we placed 1 as our day_count_convention to calculate based on the actual/actual day count.
Our final data set would look like this:
You can make your own copy of the spreadsheet above using the link below.
Amazing! Now we can dive into the steps of using the COUPDAYSNC function in Google Sheets.
How to Use COUPDAYSNC Function in Google Sheets
1. First, we will select an empty cell to type in our formula. To start, we will type in an equal sign and the function name. Our formula would start with “=COUPDAYSNC(”.
2. Then, we will simply select the cells containing the settlement date and the maturity date. Our formula would become “=COUPDAYSNC(B1,B2”.
3. Next, we will input our frequency of coupon payments. Our formula would become “=COUPDAYSNC(B1,B2,2”.
4. Lastly, we will choose a day count method to use. In this case, we will input “1” which calculates based on the actual number of days between the specified dates and the actual number of days in the intervening years.
Our final formula would be “=COUPDAYSNC(B1,B2,2,1)”.
5. We will press the Enter key to return the result.
And tada! We have successfully used the COUPDAYSNC function in Google Sheets.
You can apply this guide whenever you need to calculate the number of days from the settlement date until the next coupon or interest payment. You can now use the COUPDAYSNC function and the various other Google Sheets formulas available to create great worksheets that work for you.
That’s pretty much it! Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to know about the latest guides and tutorials from us.
