When working with data in Google Sheets, it’s not uncommon to encounter military time, which can be a bit confusing for those who aren’t familiar with it. Military time is a 24-hour clock format, where the day begins at 0000 (midnight) and ends at 2359 (11:59 PM). While it may seem straightforward, military time can be a challenge to work with, especially when trying to remove it from your Google Sheets data. In this article, we’ll explore the importance of removing military time in Google Sheets, and provide a step-by-step guide on how to do it.
Why Remove Military Time in Google Sheets?
Military time can be a hindrance when working with data in Google Sheets, especially when trying to perform calculations or create charts and graphs. For instance, if you’re trying to calculate the total hours worked by an employee, you’ll need to convert the military time to standard 12-hour format. Similarly, if you’re creating a chart to display the schedule of a team, you’ll need to convert the military time to a more readable format.
Removing military time in Google Sheets can also help to improve data consistency and accuracy. When data is entered in military time, it can be prone to errors, especially when different people enter the data. By converting the military time to standard format, you can ensure that the data is accurate and consistent.
Converting Military Time to Standard Format
Converting military time to standard format is a relatively straightforward process in Google Sheets. You can use the following formula to convert military time to standard format:
| Formula | Description |
|---|---|
| =TEXT(A1,”HH:MM AM/PM”) | This formula converts the military time in cell A1 to standard 12-hour format. |
Where A1 is the cell containing the military time. You can apply this formula to a range of cells to convert multiple values at once.
Using the TEXT Function
The TEXT function is a powerful tool in Google Sheets that allows you to format text in a variety of ways. In this case, we’re using the TEXT function to convert the military time to standard format.
The TEXT function takes two arguments: the value you want to format, and the format you want to apply. In this case, the value is the military time, and the format is “HH:MM AM/PM”, which is the standard 12-hour format. (See Also: How to Make Line in Google Sheets? Charts Simplified)
Examples
Here are a few examples of how you can use the TEXT function to convert military time to standard format:
- =TEXT(0900,”HH:MM AM/PM”) returns “9:00 AM”
- =TEXT(1400,”HH:MM AM/PM”) returns “2:00 PM”
- =TEXT(2100,”HH:MM AM/PM”) returns “9:00 PM”
Removing Military Time from Google Sheets
Now that we’ve covered how to convert military time to standard format, let’s talk about how to remove it from Google Sheets. There are a few ways to do this, and we’ll explore each method in this section.
Method 1: Using the TEXT Function
As we discussed earlier, you can use the TEXT function to convert military time to standard format. To remove the military time, you can simply use the TEXT function without the format argument.
| Formula | Description |
|---|---|
| =TEXT(A1) | This formula converts the military time in cell A1 to standard format, without the format argument. |
This formula will return the standard format of the military time, without the military time itself. For example, if the military time is “0900”, the formula will return “9:00 AM”.
Method 2: Using the LEFT and RIGHT Functions
Another way to remove military time from Google Sheets is to use the LEFT and RIGHT functions. The LEFT function returns a specified number of characters from the left side of a text string, while the RIGHT function returns a specified number of characters from the right side of a text string.
| Formula | Description |
|---|---|
| =RIGHT(A1,2) | This formula returns the last two characters of the military time in cell A1. |
| =LEFT(A1,2) | This formula returns the first two characters of the military time in cell A1. |
You can use these formulas in combination to remove the military time. For example, if you want to remove the first two characters (the hour) and the last two characters (the minutes), you can use the following formula: (See Also: How to Make a Population Pyramid in Google Sheets? Easily)
| Formula | Description |
|---|---|
| =MID(A1,3,LEN(A1)-4) | This formula returns the middle part of the military time in cell A1, excluding the first two characters and the last two characters. |
Conclusion
Removing military time from Google Sheets can be a bit tricky, but with the right formulas and functions, it’s a relatively straightforward process. In this article, we’ve covered how to convert military time to standard format using the TEXT function, and how to remove military time using the TEXT function, LEFT and RIGHT functions, and the MID function.
We hope this article has been helpful in showing you how to remove military time from Google Sheets. Remember to always use the correct formulas and functions to ensure accurate and consistent results.
Recap
Here’s a recap of the key points discussed in this article:
- Converting military time to standard format using the TEXT function
- Removing military time using the TEXT function, LEFT and RIGHT functions, and the MID function
- Using the TEXT function to convert military time to standard format
- Using the LEFT and RIGHT functions to remove military time
- Using the MID function to remove military time
FAQs
Q: How do I convert military time to standard format in Google Sheets?
A: You can use the TEXT function to convert military time to standard format. The formula is =TEXT(A1,”HH:MM AM/PM”), where A1 is the cell containing the military time.
Q: How do I remove military time from Google Sheets?
A: You can use the TEXT function, LEFT and RIGHT functions, and the MID function to remove military time from Google Sheets. The formula you use will depend on the specific format of the military time and the desired output.
Q: What is the difference between military time and standard time?
A: Military time is a 24-hour clock format, where the day begins at 0000 (midnight) and ends at 2359 (11:59 PM). Standard time is a 12-hour clock format, where the day begins at 12:00 AM and ends at 11:59 PM.
Q: Can I use the TEXT function to convert military time to standard time in a range of cells?
A: Yes, you can use the TEXT function to convert military time to standard format in a range of cells. Simply select the range of cells, enter the formula =TEXT(A1,”HH:MM AM/PM”), and press Enter. The formula will apply to all cells in the selected range.
Q: How do I handle errors when converting military time to standard format?
A: When converting military time to standard format, you may encounter errors if the military time is not in the correct format. To handle errors, you can use the IFERROR function to return a custom error message or a default value. For example, the formula =IFERROR(TEXT(A1,”HH:MM AM/PM”),”Invalid military time”) will return “Invalid military time” if the military time in cell A1 is not in the correct format.