# How to combine a date and a time into one cell in Excel

Add them: `=B2+C2`. A date is a whole number and a time is a fraction, so the sum holds both.

**Excel:** `=B2+C2` (Every current version)

**Google Sheets:** the same formula works.

## Example

Sample data (row 1 is the header):

| A | B | C | D |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Event | Date | Time | Date and time |
| Kickoff | 2026-03-02 | 0.3958333333333333 |  |
| Demo | 2026-03-05 | 0.59375 |  |
| Training | 2026-03-09 | 0.3333333333333333 |  |
| Dinner | 2026-03-12 | 0.78125 |  |
| Retro | 2026-03-16 | 0.4722222222222222 |  |

Formula in D2, filled to D6: `=B2+C2`

Result: 3/2/2026 9:30; 3/5/2026 14:15; 3/9/2026 8:00; 3/12/2026 18:45; 3/16/2026 11:20

## How it works

A date is a whole number and a time is a fraction of a day, so adding them gives one value with both: March 2, 2026 plus 9:30 AM. Give the result a date and time format.

## Other ways

- `=INT(B2)+MOD(C2,1)`: Safer when the date column has stray times or the time column has dates attached. (Differs only when a cell holds more than its part.)
- `=TEXT(B2,"m/d/yyyy")&" "&TEXT(C2,"h:mm AM/PM")`: Text, for a label. (Text.)

## Common mistakes

- Joining with & gives text, not a date-time you can calculate with.
- If either part is text, convert it first: `=DATEVALUE(B2)+TIMEVALUE(C2)`.

## Questions

**How do I split them again?**

`=INT(D2)` for the date and `=MOD(D2,1)` for the time.

**How do I get the hours between two combined date-times?**

`=(end-start)*24`.

Every formula and result on this page was checked by running it in the Spreadsheet Practice formula engine on 2026-10-30.

Source: https://spreadsheetpractice.com/formulas/combine-date-and-time-columns