How to combine three cells to create date in Excel?

Combine cells to make date with formula

Here is a formula that can quickly combine cells to a date.

Select a cell that you will place the date, type this formula =DATE(A2,B2,C2) ,A2, B2 and C2 are the cells you need to combine, press Enter key, and drag fill handle down to the cells which need to combine to dates.

Tip: if the year is not complete, you can use this formula =DATE(20&A2,B2,C2).

Combine cells to make date with Combine

If you cannot remember the formula, you can use Kutools for Excel’s Combine function to easily combine cells into dates.

1. Select the cells you want to combine, click Kutools > Merge & Split > Combine Rows, Columns or Cells without Losing Data.

2. In the popping out dialog, please:

Check the Combine columns option;

Check the Other separator option and type / into the beside textbox;

Specify the place in the Place the results to section;

Check one option you want the result show in the Options section.

3. Click Ok, the cells have been combined to dates.

Demo: Combine Cells without losing data using Kutools for Excel

Conclusion

The DATE formula is the better choice when you need a true Excel date that can be used reliably for date arithmetic, sorting, filtering, or further analysis. It also supports incomplete year values by adjusting the formula, but it requires users to remember the formula and fill it down for multiple rows.

Kutools for Excel's Combine Rows, Columns or Cells without Losing Data is more convenient when the main goal is to quickly combine separate year, month, and day values without writing formulas. It allows users to choose the separator, result location, and how the original cells should be handled. For display-oriented tasks, it provides a faster workflow, while the DATE formula remains preferable when the result must behave as a true Excel date.