Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated September 4, 2021)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
When Farol uses the shortcut Ctrl+Shift+; Excel enters the local time in the cell. He wonders if there is any way to have it, instead, enter GMT (+7 or +8 hours) into the cell.
There is no way to configure Excel to do this, but it is a very easy task to create a macro that will enter the adjusted time. If you know that your local time is 8 hours behind GMT, then you can use a macro such as the following:
Sub EnterGMT()
ActiveCell = Time + (8 / 24)
End Sub
You can then assign the macro to a shortcut key and use it to enter the time in any cell. If your local time is actually 7 hours behind GMT, then simply change the 8 to a 7 in the formula.
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (13084) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021.
Solve Real Business Problems Master business modeling and analysis techniques with Excel and transform data into bottom-line results. This hands-on, scenario-focused guide shows you how to use the latest Excel tools to integrate data from multiple tables. Check out Microsoft Excel Data Analysis and Business Modeling today!
If you have a bunch of times entered into cells without the colon between the hours and minutes, chances are good that ...
Discover MoreIn some industries it is necessary to work with time resolutions of less than a second. If you need to keep track of such ...
Discover MoreWant to display an elapsed time as a decimal format? It's pretty easy to do, if you know that a very simple formula is ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2021-09-04 16:03:19
Mike
A more general solution, which would appear to work in any time zone, at any time of the year, can be found here.
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1600875/how-to-get-the-current-datetime-in-utc-from-an-excel-vba-macro/23968601
The code is written as a UDF but to run it as a sub, the code in the tip could then be:
Sub EnterGMT()
ActiveCell = Format(UtcTime(Time), "hh:mm")
End Sub
2021-09-04 11:04:33
Tomek
You have to remember to change this macro when there is a change from summer to standard time. Is there a function that can tell whether the current time is standard or daylight savings time?
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments