Elapsed time is the amount of time that passes between two events or dates. It can be expressed in various units, such as years, months, days, hours, minutes, or seconds. Calculating elapsed time in Excel can be useful for many purposes, such as tracking project progress, measuring performance, analyzing data, or scheduling tasks.
In this article, we will show you how to calculate elapsed time in Excel using different methods and formulas. We will also explain the basic theory behind each method and provide a detailed example with real data. Finally, we will compare the advantages and disadvantages of each method and suggest some alternative approaches.
Method 1: Subtracting Two Date Values
The simplest way to calculate elapsed time in Excel is to subtract two cells that contain the start and end date. This method works for any date format and any time unit. However, it requires that the result cell is formatted correctly to display the elapsed time in the desired format.
Excel stores date and time values as serial numbers that start from 1 at the date 1/1/1900. For example, the date 1/1/2024 is stored as 44197, and the time 12:00 PM is stored as 0.5. Therefore, subtracting two date values returns the difference in serial numbers, which represents the number of days (and fractions of days) between the two dates.
To convert the serial number into a specific time unit, we can use simple arithmetic operations or custom formatting. For example, to get the number of hours, we can multiply the serial number by 24, or apply the [hh]:mm format to the result cell.
Procedure
To calculate elapsed time in Excel by subtracting two date values, follow these steps:
- Enter the start and end date in two cells, such as B3 and C3. You can use any date format that Excel recognizes, such as mm/dd/yyyy or dd/mm/yyyy.
- In another cell, such as D3, enter the formula =C3-B3 to subtract the start date from the end date. This will return the elapsed time in serial number format, such as 0.041666667.
- To display the elapsed time in the desired format, select the result cell and press Ctrl+1 to open the Format Cells dialog box. Go to the Custom category and enter the appropriate format code in the Type box. For example, to show the elapsed time in hours and minutes, enter [hh]:mm. Click OK to apply the format.
- Repeat steps 2 and 3 for each row of data.
Example
Suppose we want to calculate the elapsed time of a flight from New York to London. The start and end date and time are given in cells B3 and C3, respectively. We want to show the elapsed time in hours and minutes in cell D3. Here is how we can do it:
As you can see, the formula in cell D3 is =C3-B3, and the format code in cell D3 is [hh]:mm. The result is 6:45, which means the flight took 6 hours and 45 minutes.
Advantages and Disadvantages
The main advantage of this method is that it is simple and straightforward. It works for any date format and any time unit. It also allows us to use different formats for the start and end date, as long as Excel can recognize them.
The main disadvantage of this method is that it requires manual formatting of the result cell. If we forget to apply the correct format, the result may not make sense or may be misleading. For example, if we use the hh:mm format instead of the [hh]:mm format, the result may show only the hours and minutes within the same day, ignoring the days difference. Another drawback is that this method does not account for leap years, holidays, or working days, which may affect the accuracy of the elapsed time calculation.
Method 2: Using the TEXT Function
Another way to calculate elapsed time in Excel is to use the TEXT function. This function converts a value into text according to a specified format. This method is useful when we want to get the elapsed time in the correct format without changing the format of the result cell. However, it requires that we know the exact format code for the desired time unit.
The TEXT function has the following syntax:
=TEXT(value, format_text)
The value argument is the value that we want to convert into text. It can be a cell reference, a formula, or a constant.
The format_text argument is the format code that we want to apply to the value. It can be a predefined format, such as “General” or “Currency”, or a custom format, such as “yyyy-mm-dd” or “[hh]:mm”. The format code must be enclosed in double quotation marks.
The TEXT function returns the value as text in the specified format. For example, the formula =TEXT(44197,“mm/dd/yyyy”) returns “01/01/2024” as text.
To calculate elapsed time in Excel using the TEXT function, we can use the same formula as in method 1, but wrap it with the TEXT function and provide the appropriate format code. For example, to get the elapsed time in hours and minutes, we can use the formula =TEXT(C3-B3,“[hh]:mm”).
Procedure
To calculate elapsed time in Excel using the TEXT function, follow these steps:
- Enter the start and end date in two cells, such as B3 and C3. You can use any date format that Excel recognizes, such as mm/dd/yyyy or dd/mm/yyyy.
- In another cell, such as D3, enter the formula =TEXT(C3-B3,format_text) to subtract the start date from the end date and convert the result into text. Replace format_text with the format code that corresponds to the desired time unit. For example, to show the elapsed time in hours and minutes, use “[hh]:mm”. Make sure to enclose the format code in double quotation marks.
- Repeat step 2 for each row of data.
Example
Suppose we want to calculate the elapsed time of a flight from New York to London. The start and end date and time are given in cells B3 and C3, respectively. We want to show the elapsed time in hours and minutes in cell D3. Here is how we can do it:
As you can see, the formula in cell D3 is =TEXT(C3-B3,“[hh]:mm”). The result is 6:45, which means the flight took 6 hours and 45 minutes.
Advantages and Disadvantages
The main advantage of this method is that it does not require manual formatting of the result cell. The result is already in the correct format as text. This can save time and avoid errors when working with large data sets.
The main disadvantage of this method is that it requires that we know the exact format code for the desired time unit. If we use the wrong format code, the result may not make sense or may be misleading. For example, if we use “hh:mm” instead of “[hh]:mm”, the result may show only the hours and minutes within the same day, ignoring the days difference. Another drawback is that this method does not account for leap years, holidays, or working days, which may affect the accuracy of the elapsed time calculation.
Method 3: Using the DATEDIF Function
A more advanced way to calculate elapsed time in Excel is to use the DATEDIF function. This function calculates the difference between two dates in various units, such as years, months, days, or a combination of them. This method is useful when we want to get the elapsed time in specific units that are not easily obtained by simple subtraction or formatting. However, it requires that the start and end date are in the same format and that the result cell is formatted as general or number.
The DATEDIF function has the following syntax:
=DATEDIF(start_date, end_date, unit)
The start_date argument is the earlier date of the two dates. It can be a cell reference, a formula, or a constant. It must be a valid date that Excel recognizes.
The end_date argument is the later date of the two dates. It can be a cell reference, a formula, or a constant. It must be a valid date that Excel recognizes.
The unit argument is the unit of time that we want to measure the difference in. It can be one of the following codes:
- “Y” for years
- “M” for months
- “D” for days
- “MD” for days excluding years and months
- “YM” for months excluding years and days
- “YD” for days excluding years
The unit code must be enclosed in double quotation marks.
The DATEDIF function returns the difference between the two dates in the specified unit as a number. For example, the formula =DATEDIF(“1/1/2024”,“12/31/2024”,“M”) returns 11, which means there are 11 months between the two dates.
Procedure
To calculate elapsed time in Excel using the DATEDIF function, follow these steps:
- Enter the start and end date in two cells, such as B3 and C3. You can use any date format that Excel recognizes, such as mm/dd/yyyy or dd/mm/yyyy.
- In another cell, such as D3, enter the formula =DATEDIF(B3,C3,unit) to calculate the difference between the two dates in the specified unit. Replace unit with the unit code that corresponds to the desired time unit. For example, to show the elapsed time in years, use “Y”. Make sure to enclose the unit code in double quotation marks.
- Repeat step 2 for each row of data.
Example
Suppose we want to calculate the elapsed time of a project that started on 1/1/2024 and ended on 12/31/2024. We want to show the elapsed time in years, months, and days in cell D3. Here is how we can do it:
![Excel table showing start and end date of a project and the elapsed time in years, months, and days]
As you can see, the formula in cell D3 is =DATEDIF(B3,C3,“Y”)&” years, “&DATEDIF(B3,C3,“YM”)&” months, “&DATEDIF(B3,C3,“MD”)&” days”. The result is 0 years, 11 months, 30 days, which means the project took almost a year to complete.
Advantages and Disadvantages
The main advantage of this method is that it allows us to get the elapsed time in specific units that are not easily obtained by simple subtraction or formatting. For example, we can get the elapsed time in months excluding years and days, or in days excluding years and months. This can be useful for calculating age, tenure, or interest.
The main disadvantage of this method is that it requires that the start and end date are in the same format and that the result cell is formatted as general or number. If we use different formats for the start and end date, or if we apply a date or time format to the result cell, the result may not make sense or may be misleading. For example, if we use mm/dd/yyyy for the start date and dd/mm/yyyy for the end date, or if we apply the mm/dd/yyyy format to the result cell, the result may show a negative or incorrect value. Another drawback is that this method does not account for leap years, holidays, or working days, which may affect the accuracy of the elapsed time calculation.
Alternative Approaches
Besides the three methods we have discussed, there are some alternative approaches to calculate elapsed time in Excel. Here are some of them:
- Using the NETWORKDAYS function: This function calculates the number of working days between two dates, excluding weekends and holidays. This can be useful for calculating business days, project duration, or employee attendance.
- Using the YEARFRAC function: This function calculates the fraction of a year between two dates, based on a specified day count convention. This can be useful for calculating interest, depreciation, or amortization.
- Using the TIME function: This function returns the decimal number that represents a particular time, given the hour, minute, and second. This can be useful for calculating elapsed time in hours, minutes, and seconds, or for converting time values into decimal numbers.
