ok, i somewhat figured it out. i have:
=NETWORKDAYS(A2,IF(ISNUMBER(B2),B2,C2),'State Holidays'!$C$2:$C$20)+NETWORKDAYS(C2,D2,'State Holidays'!$C$2:$C$20)+NETWORKDAYS(E2,F2,'State Holidays'!$C$2:$C$20)
the 'State Holidays' is a separate spreadsheet containing holidays that it brings in to exclude in the # DAYS TO PROCESS.
the problem that i'm seeing now is that on Row4 my formula above will calculate the #DAYS TO PROCESS as 3 days but it should only be 1 because the same date is all the way across. how can i get the formula to work to where it will calculate dates in columns A and B or C, then see that it's the same date between C and D so ignore it, then see that it's the same date between E and F so ignore it, and so in the end it will show as 1 PROCESS DAY but it will also calculate the correct #DAYS TO PROCESS for the other Rows? i hope that makes sense?