How Do I Add a Date to an Update in Excel?

You can quickly add the current date (and/or time) to an update in Excel using keyboard shortcuts. Here's how:

• Insert Current Date: Press Ctrl + ; (semicolon). This will enter the current date, formatted according to your system's date settings (e.g., MM/DD/YYYY or DD/MM/YYYY). Example: 08/15/2024

• Insert Current Time: Press Ctrl + Shift + ; (semicolon). This will enter the current time, formatted according to your system's time settings (e.g., HH:MM AM/PM). Example: 10:30 AM

• Insert Current Date and Time: To insert both the date and time, press Ctrl + ;, then press the Space Bar, and finally press Ctrl + Shift + ;. This will insert the date, followed by a space, followed by the time. Example: 08/15/2024 10:30 AM

Why Use Keyboard Shortcuts?

Using keyboard shortcuts is significantly faster than typing the date and time manually, reducing the chance of errors and improving your workflow efficiency. The entered date and time are static values, meaning they won't automatically update. If you need a cell to always display the current date and time and update automatically, use the TODAY() or NOW() functions instead. But for adding timestamps to updates, the shortcuts are ideal.