Use the workbook
Combine three recorded work sessions for a report. Open the workbook in Calc and use the duration cells, rather than typing a formatted total as text. These are accumulated durations, not times of day or payroll instructions.
| Session | Duration |
|---|---|
| A | 10:45 |
| B | 09:30 |
| C | 07:15 |
| Total | 27:30 |
Change the inputs
E5 sums B5:B8. Its format [hh]:mm keeps hours beyond 24; the numeric total is 55/48 days. Enter 02:30 in B8 to add a fourth session. E5 becomes 30:00, stored as 1.25 days. The bracketed format changes the display, not the amount.
Check the misleading result
E6 links to the same total but uses hh:mm. It displays 03:30 initially and 06:00 after the addition because it wraps at a day. Do not read that clock display as the report’s total hours.
Why does changing only E5’s format leave the numeric total unchanged?
Show the worked answer
The cell still stores a duration measured in days. [hh]:mm displays all accumulated hours; hh:mm displays the hour within a day.