To create a countdown timer in Google Sheets, we use a combination of three formulas:
(Suppose that A4 is the cell that holds the event date.)=INT(A4-NOW())
//The INT function rounds down the number to the nearest integer. In this case, the number of days.=HOUR(A4-NOW())//The HOUR function returns the hour component from the timestamp.=MINUTE(A4-NOW())
//Returns the minute component.
Note: To make the timer update automatically, set the spreadsheet to recalculate every minute from the settings.
Get the sample spreadsheet here.
With Google Sheets, one can accomplish a wide range of tasks. From keeping records of sensitive information to just using it as a to-do list, it offers a diverse range of features to accomplish nearly any task.
Many people use Google Sheets for tracking their activities to boost their productivity and to be in control of their actions. Wouldn’t it be great if one can also set a deadline to accomplish the set goals and add a timer in Google Sheets itself to keep track of your tasks?
Google Sheets lets you create a countdown timer that counts down the days, hours, and minutes until a specific date. We will go through the step-by-step procedure to make a countdown timer in Google Sheets.
Create a countdown timer in Google Sheets
The countdown timer in Google Sheets which we will create in this tutorial will give information about the remaining days, hours, and minutes. Therefore, we will be using three different functions to create a countdown timer in Google Sheets.
In the following example, we have a header called the Event Date which consists of different dates for which we will create their respective countdown timers.
The steps are as follows:
- Select the empty cell under the Days Left header.
- Fill in the following formula to calculate the remaining number of days and press Enter.
=INT(A4-NOW())
- Select the empty cell under the Hours Left header.
- Fill in the following formula to calculate the remaining number of hours and press Enter.
=HOUR(A4-NOW())
- Select the empty cell under the Minutes Left header.
- Fill in the following formula to calculate the remaining number of minutes and press Enter.
=MINUTE(A4-NOW())
- Drag the formula of each column to apply the formulas to the remaining cells to create countdown timers for the other events.
The output is static i.e. the values will not change on their own. To call this a countdown timer, we will need to make sure that the values update automatically. We will ensure that the timer in Google Sheets gets updated every minute.
Ensure the following to set up the timer in Google Sheets:
- Click on the File tab and then select the settings options present at the bottom of the dropdown list.
In the Calculation tab, click the dropdown button next to Recalculation and choose the On change and every minute option, and then click Save settings. This change in settings will make sure that the countdown timer gets automatically updated every minute.
The countdown timer in Google Sheets we’ve added will automatically update the remaining days, hours, and minutes columns. This way you can easily keep track of upcoming deadlines or events and count the days and hours left until the date.
You can similarly create timers in Google Sheets for hours and minutes left. To do so we simply need to omit the days component for hours and minutes timers; and the days and hours components to create a timer in minutes.
Conclusion
We have learned how to create a countdown timer in Google Sheets. A countdown timer can help people to track their activities and pace effectively. It’s quite easy to create a countdown timer in Google Sheets and it can help us a lot to boost our productivity. Now you are all set to use this tool to your advantage. If you want to learn more about Google Sheets countdown timer or other useful features in Google Sheets, our blog section might interest you.
See Also
You have successfully learned how to create a countdown timer in Google Sheets but there is so much more to explore. Are you interested in learning more about how much you can succeed with Google Sheets? With so many powerful features of Google Sheets, you save time and effort.
We have several tutorials that cover tricks and tips in Google Sheets. You can discover them here.
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