Definition guide
What are business days
Wondering what are business days and how to use them in schedules? Here is the plain business day meaning: standard working days that exclude weekends and, when chosen, public holidays. This quick guide explains how they work, where the term varies, and how to avoid slips before using the business day calculator.
Published: December 28, 2025 · Updated: December 28, 2025 · By FinToolSuite Editorial
Disclaimer
- Educational purposes only; not legal or financial advice.
- Examples are illustrative and simplified.
- Results depend on your inputs and assumptions and are not guaranteed.
- Read the Privacy Policy; do not share personal data.
Quick definition: what are business days
A business day is a working day that sits inside the agreed schedule for operations. It usually means Monday to Friday, but you can exclude weekends and holidays that do not apply to your context.
Typically included
- Weekdays within your working calendar.
- Public holidays only if you choose to include them.
- Adjustments for company-specific working days.
Typically excluded
- Your weekend pattern, such as Saturday–Sunday or Friday–Saturday.
- National or regional holidays you select.
- Company shutdown periods that pause work.
Business days vs working days
Working days vs business days is a common wording gap. HR teams may treat all working days as paid staff days, while contracts or banking documents specify business days tied to market hours. Always confirm which calendar applies before you sign or schedule.
Short example: a supplier might quote “5 business days” for delivery, but an HR policy might say “10 working days” for leave approval. The first skips weekends and selected holidays; the second follows the employer’s working pattern, which could include Saturdays in retail.
How business days differ by country
Weekend patterns vary. Some regions use Monday–Friday, others treat Sunday–Thursday or Friday–Saturday as the working week. Public holiday calendars also differ and can be regional, so a single country can have multiple observance lists. Adjust your settings before counting.
Finance, shipping, and public sector timelines often follow their own calendars. When in doubt, choose the weekend pattern that matches your counterpart and load the right holiday preset before you start to exclude weekends and holidays properly.
Practical examples
Shipping estimate
Dispatch on Monday with a “5 business day” promise and a Saturday–Sunday weekend. Delivery target: the following Monday unless a holiday intervenes.
Invoice due date
Invoice on Tuesday, terms “10 business days,” US holidays excluded. Payment due: the second Tuesday after skipping one weekend and any holiday in between.
Support SLA
Response within “2 business days” for critical tickets. A Friday request means a Tuesday response deadline when weekends are excluded.
Project milestone
Sign-off due in “15 business days” with Friday–Saturday weekends in some Gulf countries. Start on Sunday; target lands three working weeks later after removing weekend days and local holidays.
How to calculate business days
- Pick your start date and decide whether to count it.
- Choose add or subtract to move forward or backward.
- Select the weekend pattern that fits your schedule.
- Load a holiday preset and add any custom dates.
- Run the calculation and review any adjustments.
Use the business day calculator to apply these steps without spreadsheets or off-by-one errors.
FAQ
What are business days?
Working days that remain after you remove weekends and any holidays you decide to skip.
Are weekends business days?
No. They are excluded according to your weekend pattern.
Do public holidays count?
They do not count when you exclude them using presets or custom lists.
Are business days the same everywhere?
No. Weekend patterns and holidays differ by country and industry.
What is the difference between business days and calendar days?
Calendar days count every day; business days exclude weekends and, if selected, holidays.
How do I calculate business days between dates?
Set your start date, weekend pattern, and holiday list, then run the calculator to add or subtract.
Is this legal or financial advice?
No. It is educational. Confirm specifics with your advisor.
Calculate business days now
Set your weekend pattern, add holidays, and get a reliable result in a few clicks.