How to Use the TIME Function in Excel

Welcome to the comprehensive guide on the TIME function in Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. This function is designed to generate a time value from specific hours, minutes, and seconds. In the following guide, you’ll discover how to use the syntax, view examples, and explore practical applications of the TIME function across both Excel and Google Sheets.

Excel and Google Sheets

The syntax for the TIME function is the same in both Excel and Google Sheets and is as follows:

=TIME(hour, minute, second)
  • hour: The hour component of the time.
  • minute: The minute component of the time.
  • second: The second component of the time.

Examples:

Here are some examples to demonstrate the functionality of the TIME function:

Formula Result
=TIME(12, 0, 0) 12:00:00 PM
=TIME(9, 30, 45) 9:30:45 AM

Practical Uses:

The TIME function finds utility in several scenarios, such as:

  • Calculating time differences.
  • Formatting timestamps.
  • Creating schedules and timetables.

For example, to calculate the duration between two times, consider that cell A1 has a start time of 9:00:00 AM and cell B1 has an end time of 1:30:00 PM. You can use the formula:

=B1 - A1

This formula will provide the duration between the start and end times.

In summary, the TIME function in Excel and Google Sheets is an essential tool for creating and manipulating time values. By specifying hours, minutes, and seconds, it facilitates accurate time-related calculations and aids in effective scheduling and time management.

More information: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/time-function-9a5aff99-8f7d-4611-845e-747d0b8d5457

Other functions
Returns the serial number of a particular date
Calculates the number of days, months, or years between two dates This function is useful in formulas where you need to calculate an age
Converts a date in the form of text to a serial number
Converts a serial number to a day of the month
Returns the number of days between two dates
Calculates the number of days between two dates based on a 360-day year
Returns the serial number of the date that is the indicated number of months before or after the start date
Returns the serial number of the last day of the month before or after a specified number of months
Converts a serial number to an hour
Returns the number of the ISO week number of the year for a given date
Converts a serial number to a minute
Converts a serial number to a month
Returns the number of whole workdays between two dates
Returns the number of whole workdays between two dates using parameters to indicate which and how many days are weekend days
Returns the serial number of the current date and time
Converts a serial number to a second
Converts a time in the form of text to a serial number
Returns the serial number of today's date
Converts a serial number to a day of the week
Converts a serial number to a number representing where the week falls numerically with a year
Returns the serial number of the date before or after a specified number of workdays
Returns the serial number of the date before or after a specified number of workdays using parameters to indicate which and how many days are weekend days
Converts a serial number to a year
Returns the year fraction representing the number of whole days between start_date and end_date