In this tutorial, we will cover the basics of working with time and date functions in Excel, as well as some advanced functions that will allow you to manipulate and analyze your data in more detail. By the end of this tutorial, you will have a solid understanding of how to use Excel’s time and date functions to analyze and manipulate your data.
Dates in Excel
Using the YEAR function. The YEAR function returns the year of a given date. To use the YEAR function, type =YEAR(cell reference) into a cell and press Enter. The reference should be the cell containing the data you wish to extract. For example, if you have a date in cell A1, you would enter =YEAR(A1) in another cell to extract the year.
Using the DAY function. The DAY function returns the day of a given date. To use the DAY function, type =DAY(cell reference) into a cell and press Enter. The reference should be the cell containing the data you wish to extract. For example, if you have a date in cell A1, you would enter =DAY(A1) in another cell to extract the day.
Using the MONTH function. The MONTH function returns the month of a given date. To use the MONTH function, type =MONTH(cell reference) into a cell and press Enter. The reference should be the cell containing the data you wish to extract. For example, if you have a date in cell A1, you would enter =MONTH(A1) in another cell to extract the month.
Note: If any of these functions do not return any value, change the format of the cell to a date by right clicking the cell that contains the data and changing the format of the data to a date in “Format Cells.”
Manipulating dates using the DATE functions. Let’s say you want to add or subtract days, months, or years to a date. To do this, we will use the DATE function. This function allows you to create a date from individual year, month, and day values.
You can use the DATE function in conjunction with other functions, such as the YEAR, MONTH, and DAY functions, to manipulate dates. For example, you can use the formula =DATE(YEAR(A1)+2, MONTH(A1)+4, DAY(A1)+10) to add two years, 4 months and 10 days to a date from cell A1.
Automatically getting today’s date. Let’s say you want to have a cell to reference today’s date that automatically updates every time you use Excel. To do this, just input the TODAY() function as shown:
Automatically getting the current time. Let’s say you want to have a cell to reference today’s date with the current time that automatically updates every time you use Excel. To do this, just input the NOW() function as shown:
To change it into a time format, simply use the “Format Cells” option.
NOTE: The difference between the TODAY() and NOW() functions is that TODAY returns the current date only, while NOW returns the current date and time.
Time in Excel
Using the HOUR function. The HOUR function returns the year of a given date. To use the YEAR function, type =HOUR(cell reference) into a cell and press Enter. The reference should be the cell containing the data you wish to extract. For example, if you have a time value in cell A1, you would enter =HOUR(A1) in another cell to extract the year.
Using the MINUTE function. The YEAR function returns the year of a given date. To use the YEAR function, type =MINUTE(cell reference) into a cell and press Enter. The reference should be the cell containing the data you wish to extract. For example, if you have a time value in cell A1, you would enter =MINUTE(A1) in another cell to extract the year.
Using the SECOND function. The YEAR function returns the year of a given date. To use the YEAR function, type =SECOND(cell reference) into a cell and press Enter. The reference should be the cell containing the data you wish to extract. For example, if you have a time value in cell A1, you would enter =SECOND(A1) in another cell to extract the year.
Manipulating the time. Let’s say you want to add or subtract more hours, minutes, or seconds to the time. To do this, we will use the TIME function. This function allows you to create a time value from the individual hour, minute, and second values.
You can use the TIME function in conjunction with other functions, such as the HOUR, MINUTE, and SECOND functions, to manipulate time. For example, you can use the formula =TIME(HOUR(G2)+2, MINUTE(G2)-25, DAY(G2)-18) to add two years, 4 months and 10 days to a date from cell A1.
Conclusion
Excel’s time and date functions are incredibly useful for manipulating and analyzing data. By understanding the basic functions and how to use them, you can make your data analysis easier and more efficient. With the YEAR, DAY, MONTH, DATE, TODAY, NOW, HOUR, MINUTE, and SECOND functions, you can easily create, compare, and manipulate dates and times in Excel.
