---
title: "HOURSDIFF(A,B)"
slug: "datetimetransform-template-2"
updated: 2021-11-11T16:46:52Z
published: 2021-11-11T16:46:52Z
canonical: "docs.datajet.app/datetimetransform-template-2"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.datajet.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# HOURSDIFF(A,B)

## DateTime Transform: HOURSDIFF(A,B)

## Returns difference in hours between DateTime A and DateTime B

HOURSDIFF(A,B) - AbsoluteHours(B) - AbsoluteHours(A)

Where

- AbsoluteHours(B) = number of hours from date reference to B

- AbsoluteHours(A) = number of hours from date reference to A

- date reference = Jan 0, 0000 00:00:00

## Purpose

Use this function to:

- Calculate the age of events
- Calculate the number of hours between events

## Return Value

| Property | Value |
| --- | --- |
| **FieldType** | Integer |
| **FieldSize** | Med / High |
| **DataType** | Discrete |
| **DataSize** | Integer |

```shell
Example Return Value: -N....N  where N = maximum difference in hours between A and B
```

![](https://cdn.document360.io/73b6469b-c1e4-47e9-aa65-986c8ebd17ca/Images/Documentation/DT_HOURSDIFF_Sample.PNG)

## Parameters

| Parameter | JSON | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Table** | “targetTable”: “MyTableName” | The target table on which the new field will be created |
| **Filter** | “dataset”: {DataSet_JSON} | Optional. If a filter is applied, records not in the filter Recordset will be returned as null. |
| **DateTime Function** | “p1”: “HOURSDIFF(A,B)” | HOURSDIFF(A,B) |
| **A** | “p2”: “DateTimeFieldName” “p2”: “#YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS” | Required. DateTime A *Supports:* - **DataType:** Discrete / Continuous - **Field Type:** DateTime - **Fixed Value:** #YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS, e.g. #2021-04-05 11:01:08 |
| **B** | “p3”: “DateTimeFieldName” “p3”: “#YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS” | Required. DateTime B *Supports:* - **DataType:** Discrete / Continuous - **Field Type:** DateTime - **Fixed Value:** #YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS, e.g. #2021-04-05 11:01:08 |

## JSON Sample

![](https://cdn.document360.io/73b6469b-c1e4-47e9-aa65-986c8ebd17ca/Images/Documentation/DT_HOURSDIFF_JSON.png)

## Usage Notes

Any combination of Field/Immediate value is valid for A and B

e.g.,

- `A=FieldA, ``B=#2019-01-02 00:00:00`
- `A=#2020-01-02 00:00:00,  B = #2019-01-02 00:00:00`
- `A=FieldA, B=FieldB`
- `A=#2020-01-02 00:00:00, B=FieldB`

HOURSDIFF can be manually calculated using DAYSDIFF, (A-B), (A*B), HOUR, (A+B+C) :

![](https://cdn.document360.io/73b6469b-c1e4-47e9-aa65-986c8ebd17ca/Images/Documentation/DT_HOURSDIFF_Usage1.png)

![](https://cdn.document360.io/73b6469b-c1e4-47e9-aa65-986c8ebd17ca/Images/Documentation/DT_HOURSDIFF_Usage2.png)

See Also;

- MINSDIFF(A,B)  (DateTime)
- SECSDIFF(A,B)  (DateTime)
- Engineering | Expression Field

## Example

| Example | Details |
| --- | --- |
| **Description** | Calculate number of hours between purchase and shipping |
| **Input** | - Table: = [transactions] - Function: = DateTimeTransform - **DateTimeFunction: =** - A:= [transactions].[dtPurchase] - B: = [transactions].[dtShipping] - Name: =ShippingTime_Hour |
| **Sample** | ![](https://cdn.document360.io/73b6469b-c1e4-47e9-aa65-986c8ebd17ca/Images/Documentation/DT_HOURSDIFF_Example.PNG) |