serial time number

Glossaries

Term	Definition
serial time number	Glossaries - Excel Terminology A serial time number is a decimal value that represents the time of day or elapsed time in Excel. As a time of day value, the value 0 represents 0:00am (midnight) and the value 0.999988425925926 represents 23:59:59 (11:59:59 PM). For elapsed time, the value represents the multiples of 24 hour periods elapsed. 12 hours is .5, 24 hours is 1, 36 hours is 1.5 and so on. Storing times using serial time numbers dramatically simplifies the calculation of durations and times of day into the future and past as simple decimal arithmetic. Number formatting takes care of displaying the numbers as a time of day or time elapsed. By default time formats display the time value of the decimal portion only. Special formatting is required to show elapsed times above 24 hours - placing brackets around the hours portion of the format..

Term

Definition

Glossaries - Excel Terminology

A serial time number is a decimal value that represents the time of day or elapsed time in Excel. As a time of day value, the value 0 represents 0:00am (midnight) and the value 0.999988425925926 represents 23:59:59 (11:59:59 PM). For elapsed time, the value represents the multiples of 24 hour periods elapsed. 12 hours is .5, 24 hours is 1, 36 hours is 1.5 and so on.

Storing times using serial time numbers dramatically simplifies the calculation of durations and times of day into the future and past as simple decimal arithmetic. Number formatting takes care of displaying the numbers as a time of day or time elapsed. By default time formats display the time value of the decimal portion only. Special formatting is required to show elapsed times above 24 hours - placing brackets around the hours portion of the format..