5 Ways To Use Hour Function In Excel

When working with dates and times in Excel, it's essential to know how to manipulate and extract specific components of a date and time value. The HOUR function in Excel is one such tool that allows you to extract the hour from a given date and time value. In this article, we'll explore five ways to use the HOUR function in Excel, along with some practical examples and expert tips.

What is the HOUR Function in Excel?

The HOUR function in Excel is a simple and intuitive formula that returns the hour of a given date and time value. The syntax of the HOUR function is as follows:

HOUR(serial_number)

Where serial_number is the date and time value from which you want to extract the hour.

1. Extracting the Hour from a Date and Time Value

One of the most basic uses of the HOUR function is to extract the hour from a date and time value. For example, suppose you have a date and time value in cell A1, and you want to extract the hour from it. You can use the following formula:

=HOUR(A1)

This formula will return the hour of the date and time value in cell A1.

Example:

Suppose cell A1 contains the date and time value "2022-01-01 14:30:00". If you use the formula =HOUR(A1), it will return 14, which is the hour of the given date and time value.

2. Converting Time to Decimal Hours

Another useful application of the HOUR function is to convert time to decimal hours. Decimal hours are a way of representing time as a decimal value, where 1 hour is equal to 1, 30 minutes is equal to 0.5, and so on.

To convert time to decimal hours using the HOUR function, you can use the following formula:

=(HOUR(A1) + MINUTE(A1)/60)

Where A1 is the cell containing the date and time value.

Example:

Suppose cell A1 contains the date and time value "2022-01-01 14:30:00". If you use the formula =(HOUR(A1) + MINUTE(A1)/60), it will return 14.5, which is the decimal equivalent of 14 hours and 30 minutes.

3. Extracting the Hour from a Text String

Sometimes, you may need to extract the hour from a text string that contains a date and time value. In such cases, you can use the HOUR function in combination with the TEXT function to extract the hour from the text string.

To extract the hour from a text string, you can use the following formula:

=HOUR(TIMEVALUE(LEFT(A1,FIND(" ",A1))))

Where A1 is the cell containing the text string.

Example:

Suppose cell A1 contains the text string "2022-01-01 14:30:00". If you use the formula =HOUR(TIMEVALUE(LEFT(A1,FIND(" ",A1)))), it will return 14, which is the hour of the given date and time value.

4. Calculating Elapsed Time

The HOUR function can also be used to calculate elapsed time between two date and time values. To calculate elapsed time, you can use the following formula:

=(HOUR(B1) - HOUR(A1))

Where A1 and B1 are the cells containing the two date and time values.

Example:

Suppose cell A1 contains the date and time value "2022-01-01 14:00:00", and cell B1 contains the date and time value "2022-01-01 16:00:00". If you use the formula =(HOUR(B1) - HOUR(A1)), it will return 2, which is the elapsed time in hours between the two date and time values.

5. Creating a Schedule

Finally, the HOUR function can be used to create a schedule by extracting the hour from a date and time value and using it to determine the schedule for a particular hour. For example, suppose you have a list of date and time values in column A, and you want to create a schedule for each hour of the day. You can use the following formula:

=IF(HOUR(A1)=1,"Hour 1",IF(HOUR(A1)=2,"Hour 2",...))

Where A1 is the cell containing the date and time value.

Example:

Suppose cell A1 contains the date and time value "2022-01-01 14:00:00". If you use the formula =IF(HOUR(A1)=1,"Hour 1",IF(HOUR(A1)=2,"Hour 2",...)), it will return "Hour 14", which is the schedule for the hour 14.

What is the HOUR function in Excel?

The HOUR function in Excel returns the hour of a given date and time value.

How do I extract the hour from a text string in Excel?

You can use the HOUR function in combination with the TEXT function to extract the hour from a text string.

Can I use the HOUR function to calculate elapsed time in Excel?

Yes, you can use the HOUR function to calculate elapsed time between two date and time values.

We hope this article has helped you learn more about the HOUR function in Excel and how to use it in different scenarios. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced user, mastering the HOUR function can help you work more efficiently with dates and times in Excel. So go ahead, practice the formulas and techniques we've shared, and take your Excel skills to the next level!