Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Quickly Entering Dates and Times.
If you are looking for a quick way to enter the current date or time into a cell, Excel provides an excellent shortcut. To enter the current date, just select a cell and press Ctrl+; (that's the semicolon). Closely akin to that is entering the time, which is done by using Ctrl+: (that's the colon), which is really executed as Ctrl+Shift+;.
These shortcuts work even when you are entering formulas. For instance, let's say you wanted to have today's date as a string (within quote marks) in a formula. All you need to do is enter your formula, up to the first quote mark. Then type Ctrl+; and the date appears in the formula. Type your closing quote mark, and you can continue with your formula.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (12335) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Quickly Entering Dates and Times.
Comprehensive VBA Guide Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is the language used for writing macros in all Office programs. This complete guide shows both professionals and novices how to master VBA in order to customize the entire Office suite for their needs. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2010 today!
When entering information in a worksheet, it is common to also note a date or time corresponding to the entry. There are ...
Discover MoreDelete a cell or a range of cells, and Excel needs to figure out how to rearrange the void left by the deletion. You can ...
Discover MoreGot some numbers and letters mixed up in the same cell? You may need to get rid of those letters so you are left with ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2016-06-13 03:16:21
Mark Vassallo
Excellent tip which I use all the time.
If you need the date AND time in the same cell you can combine the two shortcuts above and add a space in between.
e.g. Ctrl+; space Ctrl+Shift+;
The date and time in this cell can then be used in calculations.
The value entered will be static and will be fixed at the time it is entered.
2016-06-12 03:26:45
Peter Moran
Hi,
Clifton - Static
Interesting approach to Dates and Times in the following URL:
http://dailydoseofexcel.com/archives/2013/10/18/entering-times-into-cells/
2016-06-11 12:33:10
Clifton
Are the date and time entered this way in a formula static or dynamic?
2016-06-11 12:03:26
Marcel Beugelsdijk
It should be noted that time will be truncated to hh:mm when using Ctrl+Shift+; (or Ctrl+:).
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2020 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: 
Comments