Convert mm:ss to total s, formatting issues

[nclaunch]

Hello!
I have entered most of my thesis data into excel- and I am looking for a way to avoid re-typing all my columns...

I am using Microsoft Excel 2010

I entered times into a column (intended to represent time elapsed, mm:ss) but excel auto-formatted it to time of day (hh:mm:dd). It shows in the box as I want it to, ex: 4:14 , but in the formula bar it shows as 04:14:00 AM.

When I try to convert it to mm:ss it changes all the numbers completely.

Ultimately I am trying to convert my all my mm:ss times to total seconds in a separate column, ex: 4:14 = 254
I have tried numerous formulas and conversions suggested on other pages but none give me an accurate result.

I realize this may be a multi-step process, and I am unfamiliar with coding, so I am asking for help!!

 

[easy2understandexcel]

Hi.
4:14 in excel is 4 (hour): 14(minutes), not 4(minute):14(seconds).
For that you want 0:4:14
From there you can multiply by 86,400 (which is = 24*60*60). Basically you are converting from days into hours (multiply by 24), converting hours into minutes, converting minutes into seconds.
Then make sure your number format is "number" (not time), and it will show seconds.

If you dont want to convert the columns into proper minutes:seconds (leave it hours:minutes), it should still work if you only multiply by 1440 (which is 24*60)

Hope that helps.

Please check out my excel youtube channel Excel 101