Adding the current date on your Microsoft Excel worksheet will allow you to identify various data and sheets. While we make use of static dates on most of our spreadsheets, did you know that you can also add a dynamic date?
A static date is when you manually type the current date on a cell, and it does not change until you manually change it. If you wish the date to update every day, you can add a dynamic date using the Today function.
The MS Excel Today function will automatically get and set the current date as the value on the cell whenever you reopen the sheet or recalculate it. You do not need to change it each day. The tool changes and updates on its own.
How to Get & Insert Current Date & Time in an MS Excel Cell Using the Today Function
The Today function has a syntax TODAY(), wherein TODAY is in capital letters followed by an open and close parenthesis. To insert the current date into your Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, click the cell where you want to add the current date. Enter the following formula: =TODAY(). It will automatically show the current date in the following format: month, day, and year.
Note that the cell containing the Today function will automatically change each day based on the current date. You can change the formatting of the current date by selecting the cell where you added the Today function and right-click on it. Select Format Cells. Navigate to the Number tab and click Date. You can choose the format under the Type section.
Using the Today Function in Microsoft Excel Sheets
The Today function is useful in other formulas and not just to insert the current date on your Microsoft Excel sheet. If you need to create formulas that automatically change based on the current date, you can add the Today function.
For instance, if you need to know what the exact date after 27 days from the current date, you can apply the Today function in your formula such as, =TODAY()+27. It means that the Today function represents the current date adding 27 days after it to obtain the exact date you need.
You can also use the Today function if you only want to show the current day devoid of the month and year. For example, if the current date is June 1st, 2022, you can create a formula such as =DAY(TODAY()), if you only want to show 1 and not June and 2022.
Many other applications are using the Today function. It is ideal for financial reports where the current date is crucial and affects other data in the worksheet.
How do you like using the Today function so far? Is it helpful for you? We love to know where you apply the Today function. You can tell us more in the comment section below.
