Negative times are displayed a ###########
 

Dear Experts,
How can I get the real figure if I have the following message?
Negative times are displayed a ###########.
Actually I got the above massage from the below formula.
=2:49 - 3:17, (hh:mm format)
Thanks.

Negative times are displayed a ###########
 

This is because it is running over midnight.

Try

=MOD(A2-B2,1)

--
HTH

Bob

(there's no email, no snail mail, but somewhere should be gmail in my addy)

"Omar" wrote in message
ups.com...
Dear Experts,
How can I get the real figure if I have the following message?
Negative times are displayed a ###########.
Actually I got the above massage from the below formula.
=2:49 - 3:17, (hh:mm format)
Thanks.

Negative times are displayed a ###########
 

You can overcome that by using the 1904 date/time system, but at a price.
ToolsOptionsCalculation tab, check 1904 date system
Note that all dates in your workbook will change.

--
Kind regards,

Niek Otten
Microsoft MVP - Excel


"Omar" wrote in message ups.com...
| Dear Experts,
| How can I get the real figure if I have the following message?
| Negative times are displayed a ###########.
| Actually I got the above massage from the below formula.
| =2:49 - 3:17, (hh:mm format)
| Thanks.
|

Negative times are displayed a ###########
 

You can change the date system to 1904 system BUT all dates in your w/book
will be out by 4 years. (Tools=Options==Calculation)

Or convert to decimal times (multiply by 24) and format cells as general or
number.

Multiply result of subtraction by 60 to get results in minutes.

HTH

"Omar" wrote:

Dear Experts,
How can I get the real figure if I have the following message?
Negative times are displayed a ###########.
Actually I got the above massage from the below formula.
=2:49 - 3:17, (hh:mm format)
Thanks.

Negative times are displayed a ###########
 

Omar,
You have certainly these hh:mm's in appropriate cells, say A1 and A2. For
obtaining allways the meaningful result (within 24 hours, of course) use
conditionally

=IF(A1<A2;1+A1-A2;A1-A2)

- it "borrows" a necessary day to the calculation.
--
Petr


"Omar" wrote:

Dear Experts,
How can I get the real figure if I have the following message?
Negative times are displayed a ###########.
Actually I got the above massage from the below formula.
=2:49 - 3:17, (hh:mm format)
Thanks.