Calculating Turnaround Time (TAT) in Excel

Turnaround time (TAT) refers to the total time it takes to complete a task or process, from start to finish. In the context of Excel, calculating TAT involves determining the difference between two dates and times in order to determine the duration of an event or process.

There are several ways to calculate TAT in excel, including using basic mathematical formulas, conditional formatting, and Excel’s built-in date and time functions.

Step 1: Data Setup

Assume you have a spreadsheet with two columns: one for the start time (e.g., when a task was initiated) and another for the end time (e.g., when the task was completed).

Start Time End Time
2023-09-11 08:00 AM 2023-09-11 11:30 AM
2023-09-11 09:45 AM 2023-09-11 12:15 PM
2023-09-11 01:30 PM 2023-09-11 03:45 PM

Step 2: Calculate TAT

In a new column (let’s say, “TAT” in column C), you can calculate the TAT for each task using a simple subtraction formula. Assuming your start times are in column A and end times are in column B, enter the following formula in cell C2: =B2 – A2

Step 3: Format the TAT Column

To format the TAT as a more human-readable time duration (e.g., hours and minutes), follow these steps:

  1. Select the TAT column (column C).
  2. Right-click and choose “Format Cells” from the context menu.
  3. In the “Format Cells” dialog box, go to the “Number” tab.
  4. Under the “Category” list, select “Custom”.
  5. In the “Type” field, enter a custom time format, like [h]:mm to display TAT in hours and minutes.
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Step 4: AutoFill (Optional)

If you have more rows of data, you can use Excel’s AutoFill feature to quickly calculate TAT for all rows:

  1. Click on the small square in the lower-right corner of cell C2 (the fill handle).
  2. Drag it down to cover all the rows with data in columns A and B.

Now, your Excel spreadsheet will contain the Turnaround Time (TAT) for each task or process, making it easy to analyze and manage time-related data.