The HOUR function in Excel is designed to extract the hour component from a given time value. This function is particularly useful for analyzing time-based data, allowing users to isolate the hour component for further calculations, reporting, or analysis.

Syntax

HOUR(serial_number)

• serial_number: This is the time value or serial number from which you want to extract the hour. It can be provided directly as a time value or as a reference to a cell containing the time.

Example #1

HOUR("2:30 PM")

This function retrieves the hour from the time value of 2:30 PM, resulting in 14 since Excel stores time in a 24-hour format.

Example #2

HOUR(A1)

Assuming cell A1 contains the value 10:45:00, this function extracts the hour component, producing a result of 10.

Example #3

HOUR(0.5)

In Excel, 0.5 represents 12:00 PM. The function will return 12 as the resulting hour component.

Error handling

• VALUE!: This error occurs if the argument provided is non-numeric and cannot be interpreted as a valid time.
• NUM!: This error may arise if the serial number exceeds Excel’s limit for date and time values.

Conclusion

The HOUR function is an invaluable tool for anyone working with time data in Excel. By allowing users to seamlessly extract the hour from time values, it facilitates effective time analysis and enhances data manipulation capabilities, making it essential for time reporting and calculations.