How to Use the HOUR Function in WPS on Windows

Use the HOUR function in 4 how-to topics, all available without membership; start from the How-to Index and follow the steps for the task you need.

How-to Index

How-to Guide

1. Enter the HOUR function

Entry point: Formulas tab → Formula bar

1. Open WPS Spreadsheet and select the cell where you want the result to appear.
2. Type = to begin the formula.
3. Type HOUR(.
4. Select or enter the cell reference that contains the date or time value.
5. Type the closing parenthesis and press Enter.

Success Criteria

• On-screen result: The result cell shows an integer from 0 to 23.
• What you can do next: You can copy the formula or fill it down to other cells.

Tips While Using

• Common mistake: If you do not start with =, the content is treated as plain text.
• Environment note: The referenced value should be a recognizable date or time value.

2. View function syntax hints

Entry point: Formula bar

1. Select the target cell.
2. Type =HOUR(.
3. Review the syntax hint and parameter guidance that appears.
4. Complete the parameter and finish the formula.

Success Criteria

• On-screen result: A parameter hint appears after you enter the function name.
• What you can do next: You can continue entering a cell reference, a number, or a nested function.

Tips While Using

• Common mistake: If the function name is misspelled, the correct hint will not appear.

3. Use cross-sheet references in a calculation

Entry point: Formulas tab → Formula bar

1. In the result cell, type =HOUR(.
2. Switch to the worksheet that contains the original time value.
3. Select the target time cell as the function argument.
4. Type the closing parenthesis and press Enter.

Success Criteria

• On-screen result: The formula shows a cross-sheet reference.
• What you can do next: When the source worksheet changes, the result updates automatically.

Tips While Using

• Common mistake: Referencing text-formatted content may cause an error or an unexpected result.

4. Combine HOUR with other formulas

Entry point: Formulas tab → Formula bar

1. Enter a combined formula that includes HOUR in the target cell.
2. Use HOUR as part of another logical or statistical formula.
3. Check that parentheses and separators are complete.
4. Press Enter to review the result.

Success Criteria

• On-screen result: The formula returns a result that matches your logic.
• What you can do next: You can adjust the parameters and test the result again.

Tips While Using

• Common mistake: Unmatched parentheses or incorrect separators can cause a formula error.
• Environment note: For complex formulas, editing in the formula bar makes the structure easier to review.