The Date & time data type is for inputting date and time values according to the formatting that you set.
Like the Date data type, the Data & time data type helps ensure that your users input times in a consistent format, which allows you to apply formulas like Duration. Use Date & time to record specific meeting times, note when in the day a task was completed, indicate due dates that include a particular time, and more.
Configuration Options
Strict
Like other data types, the Date data type can have Strict enabled. Selecting the Strict checkbox for Date cells will restrict users to input only dates. Also, columns that have Strict enabled cannot have cells of different data types.
Format and Locale
The formatting options available to you are dependent on the Locale you select. By default, each worksheet's location matches that of the creator, so the default locale suggested in the date picker will be the creator's locale. You can change this by selecting from one of 27 languages/locales.
For a complete list of the locales and associated formats offered, see our article on the Date data type.
How to Use Dates and Times
Once you've configured the Date & time data type, you can input dates in the corresponding cells by manually entering them or choosing from the date and time picker by double clicking on any Date & time type cell.
In the date picker, the current date is highlighted with a blue border, and the cell date is highlighted with a blue fill. From the top of the date picker, the single arrows will advance the view by month, and the double arrows will advance the view by year. Click the blue Now button at the bottom of the date picker to automatically select the current date and time. Click the blue select time button in the bottom right corner to advance to the time picker.
In the time picker, select the hour and minute to be input into your cell. Once you've selected the date and time, click the blue Ok button in the bottom right corner of the dropdown to confirm your selection and the cell will automatically update.
If you are interested in including only the date, consider using the Date data type or check out our Duration data type for calculating the number of days between dates. Read on to learn more about the rest of Spreadsheet.com's Data Types.