Shortcut to Enter GMT

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated September 4, 2021)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021


2

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:

If you would like to know how to use the macros described on this page (or on any other page on the ExcelTips sites), I've prepared a special page that includes helpful information. Click here to open that special page in a new browser tab.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (13084) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Capturing a Screen

Windows provides a way of "capturing" the image on the screen into the clipboard. You can then paste the image from the ...

Discover More

Expiration Date for Excel Programs

If you use Excel to create a macro-based application, you may want to make sure that your programs cease working after a ...

Discover More

Protecting Print Settings

Need to have your print settings always be a certain way? Tired of resetting the settings after others use the workbook ...

Discover More

Program Successfully in Excel! This guide will provide you with all the information you need to automate any task in Excel and save time and effort. Learn how to extend Excel's functionality with VBA to create solutions not possible with the standard features. Includes latest information for Excel 2024 and Microsoft 365. Check out Mastering Excel VBA Programming today!

More ExcelTips (ribbon)

Taking the Time into Account in a Formula

Need to check the current time in a formula you are putting together? It can sometimes be tricky to remember what Excel ...

Discover More

Adjusting Times for Time Zones

Collect a series of times in a worksheet, and you might need to adjust those times for various time zones. This involves ...

Discover More

Combining and Formatting Times

Excel allows you to store times in your worksheets. If you have your times stored in one column and an AM/PM indicator in ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is one less than 7?

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?


This Site

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.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.