Part 1: Introduce
• Definition: The TIMEVALUE function in Excel converts a time represented as text into a serial number, meaning that time is in Excel’s time system.
• Purpose: The function is used to convert a text string representing a time into a numerical value that Excel can understand and manipulate as a time.
• Syntax & Arguments:
=TIMEVALUE(time_text) • Explain the Arguments in the function:
- time_text: This is the text representation of the time you want to convert. It must be in a format recognized by Excel, such as “6:45 PM” or “18:45.”
• Return value: The function returns a decimal number between 0 and 0.99988426, representing the time.
• Remarks:
- If the text argument is not a valid time, TIMEVALUE returns the #VALUE! Error.
- The date information in the time_text argument is ignored.
Part 2: Examples
Example 1:
• Purpose of example: Converting text-based shift start times to Excel time values.
• Data tables and formulas:
| A | B | C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shift Start | Formula | Result |
| 2 | “09:00 AM” | =TIMEVALUE(A2) | 0.375 |
| 3 | “02:00 PM” | =TIMEVALUE(A3) | 0.5833 |
| 4 | “06:00 PM” | =TIMEVALUE(A4) | 0.75 |
• Explanation: This example converts text-based shift start times into Excel’s numerical time values. This can be useful for scheduling and comparing shifts in a business environment.
Example 2:
• Purpose of example: Converting text-based meeting times to Excel time values.
• Data tables and formulas:
| A | B | C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meeting Time | Formula | Result |
| 2 | “10:30 AM” | =TIMEVALUE(A2) | 0.4375 |
| 3 | “01:15 PM” | =TIMEVALUE(A3) | 0.5521 |
| 4 | “04:45 PM” | =TIMEVALUE(A4) | 0.6979 |
• Explanation: This example converts text-based meeting times into Excel’s numerical time values. It can be used to schedule and track meetings across different departments.
Example 3:
• Purpose of example: Converting text-based delivery times to Excel time values.
• Data tables and formulas:
| A | B | C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delivery Time | Formula | Result |
| 2 | “11:00 AM” | =TIMEVALUE(A2) | 0.4583 |
| 3 | “03:30 PM” | =TIMEVALUE(A3) | 0.6458 |
| 4 | “07:15 PM” | =TIMEVALUE(A4) | 0.8021 |
• Explanation: This example converts text-based delivery times into Excel’s numerical time values. It can track and analyze delivery times for logistics and supply chain management.
Example 4:
• Purpose of example: Converting text-based flight departure times to Excel time values.
• Data tables and formulas:
| A | B | C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Departure Time | Formula | Result |
| 2 | “05:45 AM” | =TIMEVALUE(A2) | 0.2396 |
| 3 | “12:30 PM” | =TIMEVALUE(A3) | 0.5208 |
| 4 | “08:00 PM” | =TIMEVALUE(A4) | 0.8333 |
• Explanation: This example converts text-based flight departure times into Excel’s numerical time values. It can be used by airlines and travel agencies to manage and analyze flight schedules.
Example 5:
• Purpose of example: Converting text-based call center response times to Excel time values.
• Data tables and formulas:
| A | B | C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Response Time | Formula | Result |
| 2 | “08:15 AM” | =TIMEVALUE(A2) | 0.3438 |
| 3 | “01:45 PM” | =TIMEVALUE(A3) | 0.5729 |
| 4 | “05:30 PM” | =TIMEVALUE(A4) | 0.7292 |
• Explanation: This example converts text-based call center response times into Excel’s numerical time values. It can be used to analyze and improve response times in a customer service environment.
Example 6: Using TIMEVALUE with IF
Purpose: To check if a shift starts in the morning or afternoon.
Data tables and formulas:
| A | B | C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shift Start | Formula | Result |
| 2 | “09:00 AM” | =IF(TIMEVALUE(A2)<0.5, “Morning”, “Afternoon”) | Morning |
| 3 | “02:00 PM” | =IF(TIMEVALUE(A3)<0.5, “Morning”, “Afternoon”) | Afternoon |
| 4 | “06:00 PM” | =IF(TIMEVALUE(A4)<0.5, “Morning”, “Afternoon”) | Afternoon |
Explanation: This example checks if a shift starts in the morning or afternoon. This can be useful for scheduling and comparing changes in a business environment.
Example 7: Using TIMEVALUE with SUM
Purpose: To sum the time values of multiple shifts.
Data tables and formulas:
| A | B | C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shift Start | Time Value | |
| 2 | “09:00 AM” | =TIMEVALUE(A2) | 0.375 |
| 3 | “02:00 PM” | =TIMEVALUE(A3) | 0.5833 |
| 4 | “06:00 PM” | =TIMEVALUE(A4) | 0.75 |
| 5 | Total Time | =SUM(B2:B4) | 1.7083 |
Explanation: This example sums up the time values of multiple shifts. This can be useful for calculating total working hours or analyzing shift patterns.
Example 8: Using TIMEVALUE with VLOOKUP
Purpose: To find the time value of a specific shift from a table.
Data tables and formulas:
| A | B | C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shift Start | Time Value | |
| 2 | “09:00 AM” | =TIMEVALUE(A2) | 0.375 |
| 3 | “02:00 PM” | =TIMEVALUE(A3) | 0.5833 |
| 4 | “06:00 PM” | =TIMEVALUE(A4) | 0.75 |
| 5 | Lookup Shift | Result | |
| 6 | “02:00 PM” | =VLOOKUP(A6, A2:B4, 2, FALSE) | 0.5833 |
Explanation: This example uses VLOOKUP to find the time value of a specific shift from a table. This can be useful in scenarios where you have a large dataset and need to find the time value of a particular change.
Example 9: Using TIMEVALUE with AVERAGE
Purpose: To find the average time value of multiple shifts.
Data tables and formulas:
| A | B | C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shift Start | Time Value | |
| 2 | “09:00 AM” | =TIMEVALUE(A2) | 0.375 |
| 3 | “02:00 PM” | =TIMEVALUE(A3) | 0.5833 |
| 4 | “06:00 PM” | =TIMEVALUE(A4) | 0.75 |
| 5 | Average Time | =AVERAGE(B2:B4) | 0.5694 |
Explanation: This example calculates the average time value of multiple shifts. This can provide insights into the central tendency of shift start times.
Example 10: Using TIMEVALUE with MAX
Purpose: To find the latest shift start time.
Data tables and formulas:
| A | B | C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shift Start | Time Value | |
| 2 | “09:00 AM” | =TIMEVALUE(A2) | 0.375 |
| 3 | “02:00 PM” | =TIMEVALUE(A3) | 0.5833 |
| 4 | “06:00 PM” | =TIMEVALUE(A4) | 0.75 |
| 5 | Latest Shift | =MAX(B2:B4) | 0.75 |
Explanation: This example finds the latest shift start time. This can be useful in identifying the shift that starts the latest in the day.
Example 11: Using TIMEVALUE with MIN
Purpose: To find the earliest shift start time.
Data tables and formulas:
| A | B | C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shift Start | Time Value | |
| 2 | “09:00 AM” | =TIMEVALUE(A2) | 0.375 |
| 3 | “02:00 PM” | =TIMEVALUE(A3) | 0.5833 |
| 4 | “06:00 PM” | =TIMEVALUE(A4) | 0.75 |
| 5 | Earliest Shift | =MIN(B2:B4) | 0.375 |
Explanation: This example finds the earliest shift start time. This can be useful in identifying the shift that starts the earliest in the day.
Example 12: Using TIMEVALUE with COUNTIF
Purpose: To count how many shifts start in the morning.
Data tables and formulas:
| A | B | C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shift Start | Time Value | |
| 2 | “09:00 AM” | =TIMEVALUE(A2) | 0.375 |
| 3 | “02:00 PM” | =TIMEVALUE(A3) | 0.5833 |
| 4 | “06:00 PM” | =TIMEVALUE(A4) | 0.75 |
| 5 | Morning Shifts | =COUNTIF(B2:B4, “<0.5”) | 1 |
Explanation: This example counts how many shifts start in the morning (before 12:00 PM). This can be useful for scheduling and staffing decisions.
Example 13: Using TIMEVALUE with ROUND
Purpose: To round the time value to the nearest quarter-hour.
Data tables and formulas:
| A | B | C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shift Start | Time Value | Rounded Time |
| 2 | “09:13 AM” | =TIMEVALUE(A2) | =ROUND(B2244, 0)/(24*4) |
| 3 | “02:27 PM” | =TIMEVALUE(A3) | =ROUND(B3244, 0)/(24*4) |
| 4 | “06:44 PM” | =TIMEVALUE(A4) | =ROUND(B4244, 0)/(24*4) |
Explanation: This example rounds the time value to the nearest quarter-hour. This can be useful in scenarios where you want to generalize the data to broader categories, such as rounding shift start times to the nearest quarter-hour for more accessible analysis and visualization.
These examples demonstrate the versatility of the TIMEVALUE function when nested with various other functions, providing insights and solutions across different scenarios and business needs.
Part 3: Tips and tricks
- Ensure Correct Format: Make sure the time text is in a format recognized by Excel.
- Use with Other Functions: TIMEVALUE can be combined with other date and time functions for more complex calculations.
- Avoid Date Information: The date part is ignored if the time_text argument includes a date.
- Handle Errors: Use error-handling functions like IFERROR to manage potential errors in the conversion.