How to Use MINUTE Function in Excel – 4 Examples

The MINUTE() function in Excel is useful for extracting the minute component from a given time value. This function is commonly used in a variety of applications, including time interval calculation, task scheduling, and data analysis.

This article will look at the MINUTE() function in detail, including its key features, syntax, and usage examples.

Syntax of MINUTE Function

=MINUTE(serial_number)

Argument of MINUTE Function

serial_number – The serial number argument is required and refers to the time value from which the minute component will be extracted. This can be a cell reference or a value directly entered into the formula.

Return of MINUTE Function

In Excel, the MINUTE() function returns the minute component of a given time value as an integer. Depending on the minute component of the input time value, the returned value will be in the range of 0 to 59.

Example #1: Basic application of MINUTE Function

Let’s examine the output of the HOUR function for various values.

See the image below for the outcome and comments:

Example #2: Scheduling tasks Using the MINUTE Function

If you have a list of tasks that must be completed at different times, you can extract the minute component from each time value using the MINUTE() function. This can assist you in more efficiently scheduling your tasks and avoiding conflicts.

You could, for example, use the formula created by combining the IF function and the IF function

=IF(MINUTE(C3)<30,"Scheduled for today","Scheduled for tomorrow")

Example #3: Getting Present Time by MINUTE Function

Excel’s NOW() function returns the current date and time. We can extract the minute component of the current time and display it in the selected cell by wrapping the NOW() function inside the MINUTE() function.

=MINUTE(NOW())

The TIME() function can also be used to display the current time in a custom format. Here’s an example of how to use the TIME() function to display the current time with the hour, minute, and second components.

=TIME(HOUR(NOW()), MINUTE(NOW()), SECOND(NOW()))

Example #4: Excel Formula for Minutes Between Two Times

By using the TEXT function, you can evaluate the difference of  hours, minutes, and seconds between two times in a cell formatted as “h:mm:ss.”

=TEXT(C4-B4,"h:mm:ss")     

Then the following formula is used to convert a time value in hours, minutes, and seconds to minutes.

 =HOUR(D4)*60+MINUTE(D4)+(SECOND(D4)/60)

Explanation:

• HOUR(D4) returns the number representing the hour component of the time value in cell D4. This value is converted to minutes by multiplying it by 60.
• MINUTE(D4) returns the number representing the minute component of the time value in cell D4. The total number of minutes is obtained by adding this value to the minutes from the hour component.
• SECOND(D4) returns the number representing the second component of the time value in cell D4. This value is converted to minutes by dividing it by 60.
• The total time in minutes is obtained by adding the minutes from the hour and minute components to the minutes from the second component.

Things to Keep in Mind about Minute Function

• #VALUE! – This error occurs when Excel does not recognize the input value as a valid time value. This can occur if the input value is incorrectly formatted or contains characters that are not recognized as part of a time value.
• #NUM! error: This error occurs if the input time value is negative or exceeds 24 hours. The MINUTE() function accepts input values outside of the typical 24-hour range, but it returns an error if the input value exceeds a certain threshold.
• The #REF! error occurs when the input cell reference is invalid. This can occur if the input cell is deleted or the formula is copied to a different location without changing the cell references.
• The #NAME? error occurs when the MINUTE() function is misspelled or Excel does not recognize it as a valid function. This could happen if the function isn’t available in the version of Excel you’re using.

Conclusion:

Overall, the MINUTE() function in Excel is a useful function for anyone who needs to work with time values. You can become more efficient and productive in your Excel work by mastering this function and its related functions, and you can perform complex time-related calculations with ease.