Dates and times are stored as serial numbers in Microsoft Excel, allowing for quick calculations and comparisons. Serial numbers for dates start on January 1, 1900, while times are decimalized ...

Excel may return a serial number instead of a date; because it is stored thus in the backend. Learn how to convert Serial Number to Date.

Excel stores dates as a regular serial number. In Excel’s worldview, time began on Jan. 1, 1900. That was day one, January 2, 1900 was day two, and so forth.