XL: Maximum Times Allowed in Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh

ID: Q179327

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition
Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a

SUMMARY

Microsoft Excel limits the maximum time value that you can enter into a cell or return by using a formula. This article explains the limits in different versions of Microsoft Excel.

MORE INFORMATION

In Microsoft Excel, versions 5.0 and later, you can enter times that exceed 24 hours by using a number format that includes "[h]" (without the quotation marks). The square brackets around the "h" instruct Microsoft Excel to calculate times beyond 24-hour intervals, which allows you to enter times that exceed 24 hours. If you enter a time that exceeds 24 hours, Microsoft Excel automatically applies a number format that includes the "[h]" code.

There are limits that apply to times that use this format. If you type a time into a cell or use a formula to return a time that exceeds the limits, you may notice either of the following problems:

If you enter a time that exceeds the limits, the time may appear as a text string.
For example, if you enter the following time in Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition
```
      20000:00:00
```
the time appears in the cell as a text string that is left-aligned.
If you use a formula to return a time that exceeds the limits, the formula returns a series of number signs (####).
For example, if you use the following values and formulas in a worksheet in Microsoft Excel 5.0
```
      A1: 12/31/2078 23:00:00
      A2: 1:00:00
      A3: =A1+A2
```
the formula returns a series of pound signs because the time returned by the formula exceeds the maximum time for Microsoft Excel 5.0.

Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a

The maximum time that you can enter into a cell is 1569143:59:59. This time is equivalent to 12/31/2078 23:59:59, which is the maximum time you can use in these versions of Microsoft Excel.

The maximum time that you can calculate using a formula is also 1569143:59:59.

Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition

The maximum time that you can enter into a cell is 9999:59:59. If you enter a time that is greater than or equal to 10,000 hours (10000:00:00), the time appears as a text string.

The maximum time that you can calculate using a formula is 71003183:59:59. This time is equivalent to 12/31/9999 23:59:59, which is the maximum time you can use in Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition.

REFERENCES

For more information about using times in Microsoft Excel, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q95948
   TITLE     : XL: Using Dates and Times (XE0127) Complete Text

   ARTICLE-ID: Q99349
   TITLE     : XL: Working with Time Periods That Exceed 24 Hours

   ARTICLE-ID: Q168435
   TITLE     : XL: Maximum Times in Microsoft Excel

Additional query words: XL5 XL98 5.00a [h]:mm [h]:mm:ss pound key

Keywords          : xlformat xlmac 
Version           : MACINTOSH:5.0,5.0a,98
Platform          : MACINTOSH
Issue type        : kbinfo

Last Reviewed: February 6, 1998