Excel Formula to Convert Date String

To convert the date string "Jan 31 2024 03:24" into a usable Excel date format, you can use the following formula:

Formula

=DATEVALUE(MID(A1,1,FIND(" ",A1,1)-1)&" "&MID(A1,FIND(" ",A1,1)+1, LEN(A1) - FIND(" ",A1,1)-5)) + TIMEVALUE(RIGHT(A1,5))

Breakdown of the Formula

1. MID Function:

   • Extracts the month and day from the string.
   • MID(A1,1,FIND(" ",A1,1)-1) retrieves "Jan" (the month).
   • MID(A1,FIND(" ",A1,1)+1, LEN(A1) - FIND(" ",A1,1)-5) retrieves "31 2024" (the day and year).

2. TIMEVALUE Function:

   • RIGHT(A1,5) extracts the time part "03:24".
   • Converts the string "03:24" into a valid Excel time format.

3. DATEVALUE Function:

   • Combines the month, day, and year into a single Excel date value.

Practical Example

Assume the string "Jan 31 2024 03:24" is in cell A1.

• In cell B1, enter the formula as stated above:

=DATEVALUE(MID(A1,1,FIND(" ",A1,1)-1)&" "&MID(A1,FIND(" ",A1,1)+1, LEN(A1) - FIND(" ",A1,1)-5)) + TIMEVALUE(RIGHT(A1,5))

• The result in B1 will yield a serial number representing the date and time. You can then format B1 as a date/time to view it in a readable format.

Conclusion

This formula effectively converts a specified date string into a format that Excel recognizes as a valid date, making it suitable for further analysis, calculations, or formatting. For more advanced techniques and data manipulation concepts, consider exploring the resources available on the Enterprise DNA Platform.