Why can't I record duration as hh:mm in numbers 3.0.1?

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ilovebacon Author

Level 1

0 points

Why can't I record duration as hh:mm in numbers 3.0.1?

I'm trying to record the durations of different events in a spreadseet.

I format the cells to Duration -> Custom Units -> hr and min -> Style: 0:00

Yet when I type "0:35" to record 35 minutes, I get "0:01" and in the tab on the bottom it says "Actual: 0:00.583"

What is going on here?

Why can't i just enter the duration i want in the style I specified? Why is it trying to convert this to a decimanl when I told it specifically not to?

Please help.

OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Dec 19, 2013 6:57 PM

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Answer 1

Dec 19, 2013 8:05 PM in response to ilovebacon

To enter 35 minutes, type 35m.

If the cell format for the cell is as you say, you will get 0:35.

Jerry

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Answer 2

Barry

Level 9

60,047 points

Dec 19, 2013 8:24 PM in response to ilovebacon

Hi ilb,

The example below was constructed in Numbers '09, and shows the format for cells in column B, set in the Inspector. All values in column B were entered directly using nn:nn, with one or more digits before the colon and two digits after the colon in each case.

Cells in columns C and D contain the formula =B. Column C is set to Automatic, and adopts the units of the values in column B, but the default 0h 00m dispay for those units. Column D format has been set to include weeks, days, hours and minutes, and to display these in the same manner as column B.

Setting the formats in Numbers 3 is done slightly differently, and that version may not support setting the formats you want. Wait for details from one of the N3 users on those differences.

Regards,

Barry

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Answer 3

Yellowbox

Level 7

21,987 points

Dec 20, 2013 7:09 AM in response to ilovebacon

Hi ilovebacon,

As Jerry has said, type 35m

Here it is before I pressed the enter key:

After I pressed the enter key:

Regards,

Ian.

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Answer 4

Dec 28, 2013 6:34 AM in response to ilovebacon

Just ran into this issue myself. I believe there is a bug that you can't enter durations and times by using a colon (:). Or am I missing something? Isn't there a more convenient way of input?

For instance, in Numbers 09 I can type in "12" for 12 o'clock, or "12,5" for 12:30 o'clock. Same for durations, typing "1,5" for 1h 30m is way easier imo.

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Answer 5

Barry

Level 9

60,047 points

Dec 28, 2013 10:27 PM in response to papalapapp

Hi p,

More likely a yet unimplemented feature than a bug. Provide Numbers Feedback requesting this Numbers '09 feature be implemented in Numbers 3. You'll find Provide Numbers Feedback in the Numbers menu.

Regards,

Barry

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Answer 6

SGIII

Level 8

37,604 points

Dec 29, 2013 7:00 AM in response to papalapapp

you can't enter durations and times by using a colon (:).

In cells formatted as Text I can enter times with a colon, eg. 12:30, 12:45, etc. and calculate durations from them displayed in minutes. But it seems that I cannot enter durations with a colon and make calculations based on them.

SG

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Answer 7

Badunit

Level 7

31,026 points

Dec 29, 2013 7:33 AM in response to SGIII

You can enter a duration using colons if the cell is formated as Duration and you include the seconds:

1 hour and 35 minutes is entered as 1:35:0 or 1:35:00

1 day and 35 minutes is entered as 1:0:35:0 or 1:00:35:00

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