How To Insert Dates In Excel Automatically

Excel Insert Date (Table of Contents)

Insert Date in Excel
How to Insert Date in Excel?

Insert Date in Excel

In Microsoft Excel, we can insert the engagement in diverse ways either by using built-in office formula or by inserting the date manually like 1/02/2019, or 01-February-xix, or 01-Feb, or Feb one, 2019. These date functions are normally used in accounting and financial analysis for cash flows.

In Excel, for inserting the date, we have a built-in part called TODAY () which will insert the exact today'due south date, and this function will give you the updated date whenever nosotros open up the workbook. We tin besides utilize the NOW () congenital-in function, which inserts the current date and fourth dimension, and this function besides will be kept on getting updated when we open the workbook for multiple times.

How to Insert?

TODAY built-in function is categorized nether the Engagement/Fourth dimension function in the Formula tab.

Nosotros can use the alternative ways to insert the date in excel past using the keyboard shortcut cardinal listed below.

CTRL+; (Semicolon), which will insert the current appointment.

To insert the electric current date and time we can apply the beneath shortcut key as follows.

CTRL+; and then CTRL+SHIFT+; which will give usa the electric current date and time.

Let's sympathise How to Insert Engagement in Excel by unlike methods along with some examples.

Insert Engagement in Excel – Example #one

Insert date automatically in Excel Using TODAY Role:

You tin can download this Insert Date Excel Template here – Insert Date Excel Template

In this example, we will see how to automatically insert the date using the TODAY built-in part by following the below steps.

Pace 1 – Open a new workbook.

Step 2 – Go to the Formulas tab.

Step 3 – Select the DATE & TIME so that we will get the list of function as shown below.

Step 4 – Select the TODAY function.

Step v – One time we click on the today role, we will get the dialog box for Function Arguments. Then Click on OK.

Excel volition insert the current information equally shown beneath.

Step 6 – We can blazon the function straight as TODAY, then press the Enter key to go the current date in the sail, shown below.

Alternatively, we can likewise utilise the shortcut cardinal for inserting the date equally CTRL + ;

Insert Date in Excel – Example #2

Insert date automatically in Excel Using At present Role:

In this example, nosotros volition see how to utilise the Now function to insert date in excel by post-obit the below steps.

Footstep i – Commencement, open a new sheet.

Step 2 – Type =NOW() office in the worksheet. Then press theEnter key so that we will go the electric current date and time as shown beneath.

Pace three – Nosotros tin can format the date and time by correct-clicking the cells to get the format cells to the option shown below.

Step 4 – One time we click on the Format Cells nosotros will get the below dialog box. Then choose the desired format that we need to display here in this example.

Nosotros volition cull the date format of the second option, i.due east. Appointment/Month/Year,as shown beneath.

Step five – Click OK and so that we will get the date in the desired format, as shown below.

Insert Appointment in Excel – Example #3

Manually Insert a date in Excel:

In this instance, nosotros will learn how to insert date manually with the below example

In excel if we enter the normal data past default, Excel will convert the number to date format, in rare cases if we import the sheet from other sources excel will not recognize the format. In such a case, we demand to enter the engagement manually and change information technology to date format.

Follow the below steps to insert the date

Pace 1 – Open a new workbook.

Step two – Insert the various date manually as 01-01-19, 01-02-19,03-03-19, which is shown below.

Step three – Nosotros can change the date format by selecting the format option which is shown below.

In the above screenshot, we can see the date format as Short Appointment and Long Date.

Step 4 – Click on the Long Engagement so that we volition get the appointment in the desired format, as shown below.

Nosotros tin insert the engagement in various formats past formatting the date equally follows

Step 5 – Click on cell B3 and right-click on the cell to get the format cells to the choice shown below.

Step 6 – Click on the format cells so that we will get the format option dialog box which is shown beneath.

The to a higher place format option past default excel will prove the * (Asterisk)mark, which means the electric current date format.

Pace vii – Select the other date format every bit 14-Mar, which ways Date- Month, which is shown below.

Stride viii – Now click OK so that we volition become the desired date output as follows.

We can change the third engagement also in a different date format past applying the formatting option as above where we have selected the below option as Month, Date, Yr.

Stride 9 – Click OK so that nosotros volition get the final output which is shown below.

In the below screenshot, nosotros have inserted the date in a different format using the formatting option.

Insert Date in Excel – Case #4

Insert dates automatically past dragging the cells:

In excel, we tin can simply insert the appointment and drag the prison cell automatically past following the below steps.

Pace ane – Open a new workbook and Type the date equally 01-Jan-19, which is shown below.

Footstep 2 – At present elevate down the cells using the mouse as shown below.

Once nosotros drag down the mouse, Excel volition brandish the motorcar-increment engagement in the below cell.

Footstep 3 – Elevate down the cells up to 05-Jan-19, as shown below.

We have inserted the date past just dragging the cells and nosotros can observe that in that location is a + (Plus) sign symbol which allows us to auto-make full the date.

Once we click on the + sign symbol, we will become the below options like Fill Days. Fill up Weekdays, Fill Months, Fill Years.

Stride 4 – At present, merely click on the selection Fill years so that excel will insert the years automatically, as shown below.

Now nosotros can meet the difference that auto-make full has changed the date by incrementing only the years and keeping them all the appointment every bit a common number.

Things to Remember

We have to be very careful if we use TODAY built-in function in excel because today function will always return the current engagement, for example, if nosotros apply the today function in the written report yesterday and if you lot try to open the same report we will not get yesterday'southward date and today office will update only the electric current date.
We can insert the date using auto-fill up options simply make sure that we are inserting correct dates in the excel because autofill will modify the engagement for the entire cell.