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Numbers for Mac: how to change notation to duration time

I have a number of duration times I want to add in Numbers.

For example I enter the duration "one hour, 16 minutes and 46 seconds" in a cell as follows: 01.16.46

When I check the notation I see 'Automatic' (see image 1 inserted)

Then I want to change the notation to Duration (see image 2 inserted)


The result: nothing happens( Notation stays Automatic)


When I enter the duration in the format 01:16:46 the result is the same...

So how can I force Numbers to accept the duration notation?


Any suggestions?

iMac 27″, macOS 12.6

Posted on Jan 3, 2023 1:03 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jan 4, 2023 7:34 AM

When entering Duration I always use the special Duration input notation for Numbers. It's easier and less ambiguous. Numbers is less like to mistake it as text (which is left justified by default as in your screenshot).


To enter one hour, 16 minutes, 46 seconds I simply type:


1h16m46s


If your language is set to Dutch you can enter:


1u16m46s


This is for ease of entering Duration values. You can display those values in various ways in the dropdown under Data Format (Gegevensnotatie). The two cells below have the same Duration value in them, and are just displayed in different ways.





SG

4 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jan 4, 2023 7:34 AM in response to Mark123

When entering Duration I always use the special Duration input notation for Numbers. It's easier and less ambiguous. Numbers is less like to mistake it as text (which is left justified by default as in your screenshot).


To enter one hour, 16 minutes, 46 seconds I simply type:


1h16m46s


If your language is set to Dutch you can enter:


1u16m46s


This is for ease of entering Duration values. You can display those values in various ways in the dropdown under Data Format (Gegevensnotatie). The two cells below have the same Duration value in them, and are just displayed in different ways.





SG

Jan 5, 2023 4:47 PM in response to Mark123

Did you try:


If your system is set to Dutch did you try this?


1u14m46s


If your system is set to English did you try this?


1h16m46s


With the input notion you do not enter the : .


Under Data Format in the panel at the right you can display the date-time with the : if you want.





I usually leave it as 0h 0m 0s to avoid ambiguity between Duration (a span of time) and Date & Time (a point in time) but you have the choice of how to display a Duration value. I find using the h m s (Dutch u m s) notation much easier for entering the Duration values, though.



SG


Numbers for Mac: how to change notation to duration time

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