Calculating elapsed time is very common whether you are managing a project or raising a baby. Elapsed time is nothing but interval between a starting point and the current point in time. We can use excel formulas to calculate elapsed time very easily.
Calculating elapsed time in years
For all the examples in this post we assume the starting date and time from which we need to calculate elapsed time is in Cell A1.
To calculate the elapsed time in years, use the formula =(NOW()-A1)/365 [Help on NOW formula]
Elapsed time in months
To calculate the elapsed time in months, we can use the formula =(NOW()-A1)/30. This returns the value in 30 day months.
Elapsed time in weeks
To calculate the elapsed time in weeks, we use the formula =(NOW()-A1)/7
Elapsed time in days
To calculate elapsed time in days, the formula is simple =TODAY()-A1. [Help on TODAY formula]
The result includes fractions as well. You can use number formatting to remove the values after decimal point.
Elapsed time in working days
To calculate elapsed time in working days, we can use the NETWORKDAYS formula like this = NETWORKDAYS(A1, TODAY()). This formula assumes 5 working days per week starting with Monday. You can also add an optional list of holidays as a parameter to it.
But if your working week is not from Monday to Friday, you can try the NETWORKINGDAYS() UDF in the same way.
Elapsed time in hours
To calculate elapsed time in hours, we can use the formula =(NOW()-A1)*24
Elapsed time in minutes
To find out elapsed time in minutes, use the formula =(NOW()-A1)*24*60
Elapsed time in seconds
In some machine critical scenarios, you might want to find the elapsed time in seconds. Just use the formula =(NOW()-A1)*24*3600
Download the Elapsed Time Worksheet and see the examples
Click here to download the elapsed time worksheet and play with the examples.
More:
Tips on using date & time in excel, List of excel date & time formulas, More excel quick tips
9 Responses to “CP044: My first dashboard was a failure!!!”
CONGRATS on the book!
Thanks for this podcast. It's great to hear about your disaster and recovery. It's a reminder that we're all human. None of this skill came easily.
Thank you Oz. I believe that we learn most by analyzing our mistakes.
Hey chandoo
this really a good lesson learned
but as I have already stated in one of my previous email that it would be more helpful for us if you could release videos of your classes for us
thanks
The article gave me motivation, especially you describing the terrible disaster that you faced but how to get back from the setbacks. Thanks for that, but with video this will be more fun.
Hi Nafi,
Thanks for your comments. Please note that this is (and will be) audio podcast. For videos, I suggest subscribing to our YouTube channel. No point listening to audio and saying its not video.
You always motivate me with respect of the tools in excel. How we can really exploit it to the fullest. Thanks very much
Thank you Amankwah... 🙂
Thank you very much, Chandoo, for your excellent lessons, I am anxious to learn so valuable tips and tricks from you, keep up the great job!
I truly appreciate the transcripts of the podcasts, because as a speaker of English as a second language, it allows me to fully understand the material. It'd be great if you can add transcripts to your online courses too, I am sure people will welcome this feature.
Dashboards for Excel has arrived in Laguna Beach, CA! Thanks!
Now I need to make time to "learn and inwardly digest" its contents as one of my high school teachers would admonish us!