53. Entering dates and times

Entering Dates and Times

Dates and times are essential in Excel for tracking events, scheduling, and performing date-based calculations. Excel stores dates as sequential numbers (known as serial numbers), allowing for easy arithmetic operations. Times are stored as fractions of a day.

Key Points About Entering Dates and Times

  • Enter Dates: Use formats like MM/DD/YYYY or DD-MM-YYYY, depending on your system's regional settings.
  • Enter Times: Use the 24-hour clock (e.g., 14:30) or the 12-hour clock with AM/PM (e.g., 2:30 PM).
  • Shortcuts: Use Ctrl + ; to enter the current date and Ctrl + Shift + ; to enter the current time.

Interactive Example: Enter Dates and Times

# Date Time
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Use the date and time pickers in the table above. Watch how the system validates and accepts the entries.

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