#  Other Applications & Softwares  > Outlook Formatting & Functions >  > [SOLVED] Making a format as a genuine value

## kmsalehi

I am working with hours difference split between two days. i.e start work at 23:00 on 1st and finish at 07:00 on the second. 

Now when it comes for easier typing of the hours I format the cell for CUSTOM 00\:00 so I can type the hours and minutes continuously and the format takes care of placing the colon , that works fine as a format but doesn't return the same result compared to typing the hours the traditional way with the colon inserted  manually.

I am after using the format for easier typing and getting the correct result.

Thanks in advance


Image 1.png

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## FDibbins

> that works fine as a format but doesn't return the same result compared to typing the hours the traditional way with the colon inserted manually.



Formatting is only a cosmetic change to the appearance of the data in a cell, it does not change the underlying value/contents of the cell.  If you want the cell to contain time, then you need to enter it that way.

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## protonLeah

Total time:




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You can also use hidden helper columns for the in and out times

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## kmsalehi

> Total time:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ```
> Please Login or Register  to view this content.
> ```
> 
> ...



didnt work it always comes up with a result of ############

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## protonLeah

You did not post a workbook, nor indicate which cells were holding which values, so the formula was just a generic.  Did you replace: *"time out cell"* with the actual cell address for time in, etc?
The formula would then look like:



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Or what ever your actual cell addresses are.

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## kmsalehi

Attached is the sample file.

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## FDibbins

wow thats quite some delayed reply...almost 4 years?  :Wink:

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## AliGW

Why did you post in the Outlook section?

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## kmsalehi

I know :Wink: . My bad. Still navigating myself through the replies. Figured how to add (solved) and saw this was hanging.

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## FDibbins

> Why did you post in the Outlook section?



I noticed that too, but was more intrigued by the delay in replying  :Smilie:

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## AliGW

So is it solved or not?

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## kmsalehi

Not yet :Confused:

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## protonLeah

You subtracted the start time from the end time in row 10 and you left out the outer MOD() function as used in G9:



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## kmsalehi

That worked now. Thanks

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