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HOUR Function (LibreOffice Calc)

Date & Time Beginner LibreOffice Calc LibreOffice 3.0

The HOUR function extracts the hour component (0–23) from a time or datetime value. It is essential for time analysis, scheduling, and cleaning imported timestamp data.

Verification status: Consult the documentation and examples below. Native application testing has not been documented for this guide. How formula examples are checked

The **HOUR** function extracts the **hour component (0–23)** from a time or datetime value. It works with real times, serial numbers, and text converted with TIMEVALUE. HOUR is essential for time analysis, scheduling, dashboards, and cleaning imported timestamp data.

What the HOUR Function Does

  • Extracts the hour from a time or datetime
  • Accepts serial numbers, real times, or converted text
  • Returns an integer from 0 to 23
  • Ignores minutes and seconds

It is designed to be simple, reliable, and ideal for time‑component extraction.

Syntax

HOUR(time_value)

Arguments

  • time_value:
    A time, datetime, or serial number representing a time.

Basic Examples

Extract hour from a time

=HOUR("14:30")

Returns 14.

Extract hour from a datetime

=HOUR("2024-03-15 08:45")

Returns 8.

Extract hour from a cell

=HOUR(A1)

Extract hour from NOW()

=HOUR(NOW())

Advanced Examples

Extract hour from text using TIMEVALUE

=HOUR(TIMEVALUE(A1))

Extract hour from a timestamp with seconds

=HOUR("18:22:59")

Extract hour from a serial number

=HOUR(0.75)

0.75 days = 18:00 → returns 18.

Extract hour from imported CSV timestamps

=HOUR(DATEVALUE(LEFT(A1;10)) + TIMEVALUE(MID(A1;12;8)))

Extract hour from ISO datetime

=HOUR(TIMEVALUE(MID(A1;12;8)))

Extract hour from Excel serial dates imported as text

=HOUR(DATE(1899;12;30)+VALUE(A1))

Determine if a time is AM or PM

=IF(HOUR(A1) < 12; "AM"; "PM")

Bucket times into 3‑hour intervals

=INT(HOUR(A1)/3)*3

Check if a time is within business hours

=AND(HOUR(A1)>=9; HOUR(A1)<17)

Edge Cases and Behavior Details

HOUR returns an integer (0–23)

Accepts:

  • Real times
  • Datetimes
  • Serial numbers
  • TIMEVALUE outputs

Invalid text → Err:502

HOUR ignores date components

=HOUR("2024-03-15 22:10") → 22

HOUR ignores minutes and seconds

HOUR of a number > 1

=HOUR(1.5) → 12  
(1.5 days = 36 hours → 12:00 on day 2)

HOUR of negative values → Err:502

HOUR of an error → error propagates

Common Errors and Fixes

Err:502 — Invalid argument

Cause:

  • Text not recognized as a time
  • Negative serial numbers
  • Non-numeric values

Fix:

  • Wrap with TIMEVALUE
  • Clean text with TRIM or SUBSTITUTE

Wrong result due to date formatting

Fix:

  • Ensure the cell contains a real datetime, not text

Unexpected hour from serial numbers

Cause:

  • Serial numbers represent days, not hours

Fix:

  • Use MOD(A1;1) to isolate time portion

Best Practices

  • Use HOUR for all hour‑extraction tasks
  • Use TIMEVALUE to normalize text times
  • Use INT or MOD to isolate time components
  • Use HOUR with NOW() for dynamic dashboards
  • Use HOUR with logical tests for scheduling rules
HOUR is your time‑component extractor — perfect for dashboards, scheduling logic, time analysis, and cleaning messy timestamp data.
  • Use MINUTE and SECOND for other components
  • Use TIME to construct times
  • Use TIMEVALUE to convert text
  • Use NOW for current datetime
  • Use DATE for date construction

By mastering HOUR and its companion functions, you can build powerful, reliable, and fully dynamic time‑based workflows in LibreOffice Calc.

Reproducible example (tested in LibreOffice Calc)

This standalone example was calculated in LibreOffice Calc 25.2.3.2 and matched the expected value. It is a practical cross-check of one usage, not proof that every example elsewhere on this page is correct.

=HOUR(TIME(14;30;0))

Expected result: 14.

Extract the hour component from a time value.

If the result differs, check the referenced cells, argument separators and number formatting. For more information, consult the LibreOffice Calc official help.