---
title: "Supported DATETIME_DIFF Unit Specifiers | Airtable Support"
slug: "supported-unit-specifiers-for-datetime-diff"
description: "This article covers using the DATETIME_DIFF() to calculate the difference between two different date times in specified units to streamline your team's and organization's work."
updated: 2025-04-29T16:58:21Z
published: 2025-04-29T16:58:21Z
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://support.airtable.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Supported DATETIME_DIFF unit specifiers in Airtable

| **Plan Availability** | All plan types |
| --- | --- |
| **Permissions** | - **Owner** / **Creator** - Can add, delete, duplicate, rename, and customize fields - **Editors** - Sort, filter, group, hide, and copy field URL - **Commenters / Read-only** - Copy field URL |
| **Platform(s)** | Web/Browser, Mac app, and Windows app (with some additional limited support on mobile) |

## DATETIME_DIFF() in Airtable overview

The DATETIME_DIFF() function allows you to calculate the difference between two different datetimes in specified units.

Each specifier has a corresponding abbreviation that works like the long-form version of the specifier—.`DATETIME_DIFF(Date, Date2, 'y')`—resulting in same output as `DATETIME_DIFF(Date, Date2, 'years')`.

> [!CAUTION]
> Note
> 
> - The output will default to seconds if no unit is specified or the function does not recognize the specifier.
> - The output will default to milliseconds if the unit specified is not recognized.

The DATETIME_DIFF() function allows you to calculate the difference between two different datetimes in specified units. Each specifier has a corresponding abbreviation which will work the same as the longform version of the specifier, e.g. `DATETIME_DIFF(Date, Date2, 'y')` will have the same output as `DATETIME_DIFF(Date, Date2, 'years')`.

> [!CAUTION]
> Note
> 
> - We encourage using the [WORKDAY_DIFF()](/docs/formula-field-reference#date-and-time-functions) instead of DATETIME_DIFF() if you want to use workdays as a unit.
> - Be sure to nest the DATETIME_PARSE() function within your formula to turn the string into a readable date when attempting to use DATETIME_DIFF() with static dates or dates that are formatted as strings.

**supported DATETIME_DIFF() time units and specifiers:**

| **Unit specifier** | **Abbreviation** |
| --- | --- |
| 'milliseconds' | 'ms' |
| 'seconds' | 's' |
| 'minutes' | 'm' |
| 'hours' | 'h' |
| 'days' | 'd' |
| 'weeks' | 'w' |
| 'months' | 'M' |
| 'quarters' | 'Q' |
| 'years' | 'y' |