While I've not had to do anything like this myself, it would seem you can
make the "single dot to colon" replacement both position sensitive and
automatic without anyone having to remember anything. For example, the
following installed in the Workbook module should do the "single dot to
colon" replacement **only** for Column E on the worksheet named "Sheet3" and
treat the dot normally everywhere else...

Private Sub Workbook_SheetSelectionChange(ByVal Sh As Object, _
ByVal Target As Range)
With Application.AutoCorrect
On Error Resume Next
If Sh.Name = "Sheet3" Then
If Target.Column = 5 Then
.AddReplacement ".", ":"
Else
.DeleteReplacement "."
End If
Else
.DeleteReplacement "."
End If
End With
End Sub

--
Rick (MVP - Excel)


"Ragdyer" wrote in message
...
Expanding on that old trick:

When the girls in the office where finished entering the time card data on
Monday morning for the previous week, they always forgot to change back
until they noticed the mistakes they were making (usually wasting a half
hour's work).

So now we use the AutoCorrect to replace *2* decimals with a colon.
12..15 is just about as easy to use as 12.15,
AND, some of them never have to change back, leaving it in force
indefinitely.
--
Regards,

RD

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"T. Valko" wrote in message
...
Another trick...

**Temporarily** set up an AutoCorrect option to replace a decimal point
with
the colon. Then enter the time in 24 hr format using the decimal point
instead of the colon. Most people probably use the numeric keypad for
entering numbers. It's a lot more ergonomic to hit the decimal point key
than to have to reach over to the qwerty keys and do <shift colon.

Just remember to reset the AutoCorrect option when you're done. Then
reformat the times as desired.

--
Biff
Microsoft Excel MVP


"Rick Rothstein" wrote in message
...
If you are talking about entering the current time (of day), then Jacob
has given you your answer. If, on the other hand, you mean a time other
than the current time (such as would be taken from a log sheet of some
kind), then you will need a macro to do what you want. Are you entering
24-hour time values (1600 for 4:00pm) or would you enter 4:00pm as
400pm
(or perhaps 400 pm with a space between them)? Are you entering the
seconds as well (and, if so, will they always be available for each
entry
or not)?

--
Rick (MVP - Excel)


"Cletus" wrote in message
...
I have a spreadsheet in excel that I record length of time in. How can
I
enter the time and have the : automatically entered for me?