Shortcut to add current Date and Time in MS Office Word and Excel
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Many a times at work, it’s often needed to record the date and time at which the particular information is recorded or changed. When you are busy working it might be hard to record the date and time manually by the side. But there are shortcut keys to enter the current time and date in Microsoft Office application.
Entering Date and Time in Microsoft Word:
In Microsoft Word, use the following shortcut keys to enter the current system date and time.
Alt + Shift + D Insert the current date.
Alt + Shift + T Insert the current time.
This works in Word 2000, Word 2002, Word 2003 and Word 2007.
Click here to check out the whole list of Word 2007 keyboard Shortcuts.
Entering Date and Time in Microsoft Excel:
In Microsoft Excel, use the following shortcut keys to enter the current system date and time.
Ctrl + Shift + ; Enter the current time.
Ctrl + ; Enter the current date.
This works in Microsoft Excel 2000, Excel 2002, Excel 2003 and Excel 2007.
The same shortcut keys work for Microsoft Access also.
Click here to check out the whole list of Excel 2007 keyboard Shortcuts.
Using Notepad as a log file:
Notepad is the application which is quite often used as system log file. Notepad also can be used by the computer users to log data manually. This adds the current date and time when you open the particular notepad log file.
Use the following instruction to create a log file:
Step 1) Open a new Notepad. (Start -> Program -> Accessories -> Notepad)
Step 2) Type .LOG in the first line and press ENTER.
Step 3) Save this file in the name of your choice.
Step 4) Now, whenever you open this file, the current system date and time will be appended to the bottom of the contents in the notepad.
Update: If you would like to use Macro to add current date and time, refer to Paul’s comment where he had mentioned the macro. Thanks Paul.
Good idea. Will post some of these from time to time.
regards,
Gili
you have mentioned nice keys shortcuts , can you provide few special keys shortcuts related to ms paint .
The introduction implies that this can be used to record permanently when an action was taken. It can’t. As sson as you press F9, the date and time are recalculated. What’s the use of that?
However it is easy to record a macro to do what I want, e.g.
Sub timestamp()
‘
‘ timestamp Macro
‘ Macro recorded 28/04/2008 by Paul J Robinson
‘
Selection.Fields.Add Range:=Selection.Range, Type:=wdFieldDate
Selection.TypeParagraph
Selection.Fields.Add Range:=Selection.Range, Type:=wdFieldTime
Selection.MoveLeft Unit:=wdCharacter, Count:=3, Extend:=wdExtend
Selection.Copy
Selection.PasteAndFormat (wdFormatPlainText)
End Sub
@Paul, Thanks Paul for your information and the help with macro. I was not sure what you are referring to but the time and date did not change for me even when I used F9 in Ofice 2007.
I should have said if you select it and press F9.
@Paul Robinson, I understand it now. I just tried it out and it happens only in Word and not in Excel. Thanks for letting us know.
I need to add a date column in notepad how do I achieve this?