I am trying to post the finish times for a 5k race to an excel spreadsheet.
However, everytime the minutes are higher than 24, Excel automatically
formats it to read in military time.

For example: If I enter 24:53, Excel changes this automatically to 0:53.

This messes up the finish time is there any way to stop it from formatting
like that?

As you may have guessed, you're actually entering hours and minutes, not
minutes and seconds.
That doesn't matter too much, as long as you're not adding series which
total over a day.
FormatCellsCustom, in the Type box, enter [h]:mm to avoid tipping over at
24h

--
Kind regards,

Niek Otten

"Stressed Student" wrote in
message ...
I am trying to post the finish times for a 5k race to an excel spreadsheet.
However, everytime the minutes are higher than 24, Excel automatically
formats it to read in military time.

For example: If I enter 24:53, Excel changes this automatically to 0:53.

This messes up the finish time is there any way to stop it from formatting
like that?

Use a custom number format

format=Cells=Numbers Tab, go to custom

[mm]:ss

however, if you enter 80:35, this will be interpreted as 80 hours and 35
minutes. You must enter 0:80:35

That said, I would suggest that you are probably currently recording your
times as hours (minutes are seen by excel as hours). So a time of 40
minutes, 10 seconds is being entered as 40:10 and is being seen by excel as
40 hours and 10 minutes. for this situation (and it really shouldn't be
problematic unless you enter 80:35 for one, then for another enter
1:20:35 ), use the custom format [h]:mm or [hh]:mm
--
Regards,
Tom Ogilvy


"Stressed Student" wrote in
message ...
I am trying to post the finish times for a 5k race to an excel
spreadsheet.
However, everytime the minutes are higher than 24, Excel automatically
formats it to read in military time.

For example: If I enter 24:53, Excel changes this automatically to 0:53.

This messes up the finish time is there any way to stop it from formatting
like that?

It all makes great sense... so why does this happen ?

Need :
Record swimming times in mm:ss.th (ie. mins, secs, tenths-hundredths)

Action :
Set format to [mm]:ss.00
Enter time as 00:34.12 (50m times dont have minutes) hit enter.
Looks great !! 34.12
Double click on it to edit
it changes to 00:00:34
hit enter to get out and it goes to 00:34.00
Format still [mm]:ss.00
Scratch head.

Got to be simple - but currently dont understand.

Thanks
Philopolis


"Niek Otten" wrote:

As you may have guessed, you're actually entering hours and minutes, not
minutes and seconds.
That doesn't matter too much, as long as you're not adding series which
total over a day.
FormatCellsCustom, in the Type box, enter [h]:mm to avoid tipping over at
24h

--
Kind regards,

Niek Otten

"Stressed Student" wrote in
message ...
I am trying to post the finish times for a 5k race to an excel spreadsheet.
However, everytime the minutes are higher than 24, Excel automatically
formats it to read in military time.

For example: If I enter 24:53, Excel changes this automatically to 0:53.

This messes up the finish time is there any way to stop it from formatting
like that?

Excel does not seem to like your time editing. I get the same results.
Although if I do not edit the cell, I am able to perform calculations on the
cells.

It reminds me of the old joke. The guy goes into the doctor's office and
says "It hurts when I raise my arm like this". The doctor says "Don't raise
your arm like that".

Enter your data and do not edit the cell. Rekey the data if you need to
adjust the cell.

--
Damon Longworth

2006 East Coast Excel User Conference
April 19/21st, 2006
Holiday Inn, Boardwalk
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Early Bird Registration Now Open!!
www.ExcelUserConference.com

2006 UK Excel User Conference
Summer, 2006
London, England


"Philopolis" wrote in message
...
It all makes great sense... so why does this happen ?

Need :
Record swimming times in mm:ss.th (ie. mins, secs, tenths-hundredths)

Action :
Set format to [mm]:ss.00
Enter time as 00:34.12 (50m times dont have minutes) hit enter.
Looks great !! 34.12
Double click on it to edit
it changes to 00:00:34
hit enter to get out and it goes to 00:34.00
Format still [mm]:ss.00
Scratch head.

Got to be simple - but currently dont understand.

Thanks
Philopolis


"Niek Otten" wrote:

As you may have guessed, you're actually entering hours and minutes, not
minutes and seconds.
That doesn't matter too much, as long as you're not adding series which
total over a day.
FormatCellsCustom, in the Type box, enter [h]:mm to avoid tipping over
at
24h

--
Kind regards,

Niek Otten

"Stressed Student" wrote in
message ...
I am trying to post the finish times for a 5k race to an excel
spreadsheet.
However, everytime the minutes are higher than 24, Excel automatically
formats it to read in military time.

For example: If I enter 24:53, Excel changes this automatically to
0:53.

This messes up the finish time is there any way to stop it from
formatting
like that?

Thanks Damon

Now I know it doesnt work as I'd expect - I can stop getting frustrated.
or...
When you're banging your head against a brick wall - it feels great when you
stop !!

Thanks
Phil

--
Philopolis


"Damon Longworth" wrote:

Excel does not seem to like your time editing. I get the same results.
Although if I do not edit the cell, I am able to perform calculations on the
cells.

It reminds me of the old joke. The guy goes into the doctor's office and
says "It hurts when I raise my arm like this". The doctor says "Don't raise
your arm like that".

Enter your data and do not edit the cell. Rekey the data if you need to
adjust the cell.

--
Damon Longworth

2006 East Coast Excel User Conference
April 19/21st, 2006
Holiday Inn, Boardwalk
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Early Bird Registration Now Open!!
www.ExcelUserConference.com

2006 UK Excel User Conference
Summer, 2006
London, England


"Philopolis" wrote in message
...
It all makes great sense... so why does this happen ?

Need :
Record swimming times in mm:ss.th (ie. mins, secs, tenths-hundredths)

Action :
Set format to [mm]:ss.00
Enter time as 00:34.12 (50m times dont have minutes) hit enter.
Looks great !! 34.12
Double click on it to edit
it changes to 00:00:34
hit enter to get out and it goes to 00:34.00
Format still [mm]:ss.00
Scratch head.

Got to be simple - but currently dont understand.

Thanks
Philopolis


"Niek Otten" wrote:

As you may have guessed, you're actually entering hours and minutes, not
minutes and seconds.
That doesn't matter too much, as long as you're not adding series which
total over a day.
FormatCellsCustom, in the Type box, enter [h]:mm to avoid tipping over
at
24h

--
Kind regards,

Niek Otten

"Stressed Student" wrote in
message ...
I am trying to post the finish times for a 5k race to an excel
spreadsheet.
However, everytime the minutes are higher than 24, Excel automatically
formats it to read in military time.

For example: If I enter 24:53, Excel changes this automatically to
0:53.

This messes up the finish time is there any way to stop it from
formatting
like that?