Function 8: HOUR()

📘 Definition:

The HOUR() function returns the hour component (0–23) from a time value.
It’s commonly used in time-tracking, attendance systems, or billing systems that depend on time duration — for example, employee login/logout or shift management.

🧩 Syntax:  =HOUR(serial_number)


• serial_number → A valid time value (e.g., 8:30 AM or a cell reference containing time)

🧠 Example (Indian Perspective):

In India, most workplaces use 24-hour format internally for accurate time tracking (e.g., 1 PM = 13 hours).

🪜 Step-by-Step Explanation:

1. Suppose A2 = 8:45 AM

2. Formula → =HOUR(A2)

3. Excel extracts the hour part (8) and ignores minutes/seconds.

4. You can combine this with other formulas like MINUTE() or SECOND() for detailed breakdowns.

💡 Tip:

If your time is stored as text like "8:45 AM", first convert it:

🎯 Why It’s Useful:

• For attendance or shift duration analysis.

• To group data based on time intervals (e.g., morning, afternoon, evening).

• To calculate hourly sales or productivity in call centers, hospitals, or delivery firms.

🧑‍💻 Project Task 1: Employee Login Time Analysis

👉 Tasks:

1. Extract the hour using =HOUR(B2)

2. Use an IF formula to assign shifts automatically:

   • Morning: 6–11

   • Afternoon: 12–17

   • Evening: 18–23

3. Create a summary table showing how many employees came in each shift.

🧑‍💻 Project Task 2: Cab Service Hourly Demand Tracker

👉 Tasks:

1. Use =HOUR(B2) to extract the hour.

2. Use a nested IF or CHOOSE formula to assign time slots like:

   • 4 AM–9 AM → “Morning Ride”

   • 10 AM–4 PM → “Day Ride”

   • 5 PM–11 PM → “Evening Ride”

   • 12 AM–3 AM → “Night Ride”

3. Create a Pivot Chart showing number of bookings per time slot.