Are you an Excel user who is looking for an easy and efficient way to update the dates in your spreadsheets? If so, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we will show you how to automatically update date in Excel. With this quick and easy guide, you’ll never have to worry about manually entering the date again. So, let’s get started! Automatically updating dates in Excel is easy to do with the auto fill feature. To use it, first enter a date in the cell you want to start with. Then, drag the cell’s bottom right corner to the cell where you want to end the series. The dates will automatically fill in between the two cells. Step 1: Enter the date you want to start with in the cell you want. Step 2: Select the cell and drag the bottom right corner to the cell you want the series to end Step 3: Release the mouse to automatically fill in the dates between the two cells. How to Automatically Update the Date in Excel Using a Keyboard Shortcut One of the quickest ways to automatically update the date in Excel is by using a keyboard shortcut. The shortcut CTRL + ; (hold the Control key and press the semi-colon) will automatically insert the current date into a cell. This is the quickest and easiest way to update the date in Excel, as there is no need to manually enter the date. To use this shortcut, simply select the cell you would like to update, then press the key combination. The date will be instantly inserted into the cell. If you would like to update multiple cells with the same date, you can use the shortcut multiple times. When you are done, simply press the Enter key to confirm the date. This shortcut can be used to quickly update the date in Excel, but it does have its limitations. For example, if you want to insert the current month or year, or any other specific date, then you will need to use a different method. Using a Formula Another way to automatically update the date in Excel is by using a formula. The most common formula used for this purpose is the TODAY() function. This function will return the current date as a serial number, which can then be formatted as a date. To use this function, simply enter =TODAY() into a cell, and the current date will be automatically inserted. The TODAY() function can also be used in combination with other formulas, such as the IF function, to return different dates depending on certain criteria. For example, you can use the formula =IF(A1=”Yes”,TODAY(),TODAY()+7) to insert the current date if A1 is “Yes”, or else insert the date seven days in the future. This is a very powerful technique for automatically updating the date in Excel. Using the Date Picker Tool The Date Picker tool is a feature of Excel that allows you to quickly select a date from a calendar. This is a great way to quickly select a specific date, or even a range of dates, without having to manually enter the date. To use the Date Picker tool, simply select a cell, and then click on the Date Picker button on the ribbon. The Date Picker will open, allowing you to select a date from the calendar. Once you have selected the date, simply click on the OK button to confirm your selection. The date will then be automatically inserted into the selected cell. This is a great way to quickly select a specific date, or even a range of dates, without having to manually enter the date. Using Date Formulas Excel also provides a number of date formulas that can be used to automatically update the date in Excel. These formulas allow you to insert dates based on a certain criteria, such as the current month or year, or any other specific date. Some of the most commonly used date formulas include DATE(), YEAR(), MONTH(), and DAY(). These formulas can be used in combination with other formulas, such as the IF function, to create powerful formulas that can automatically update the date in Excel. For example, you can use the formula =IF(A1=”Yes”,DATE(YEAR(),MONTH(),DAY()),DATE(YEAR(),MONTH(),DAY()+7)) to insert the current date if A1 is “Yes”, or else insert the date seven days in the future. Few Frequently Asked Questions Question 1: What is the simplest way to automatically update date in Excel? Answer: The simplest way to automatically update date in Excel is to use the TODAY() function. This function will automatically update the date in the cell it is used in, and will continue to change each day. For example, if you enter the formula =TODAY() in cell A1, it will display the current date and time. This is the easiest way to add an automatically updating date to your Excel spreadsheet. Question 2: How do I set up a recurring date in Excel? Answer: To set up a recurring date in Excel, you can use the EDATE() function. This function will return a date that is a specified number of months before or after a given date. You can also use the MONTH() and YEAR() functions to set up a recurring date. For example, if you want to set up a recurring date that is the first of every month, you can use the formula =EDATE(TODAY(),1) to set up a date that is one month from the current date. Question 3: How do I format an automatically updating date in Excel? Answer: To format an automatically updating date in Excel, you can use the TEXT() function. The TEXT() function will convert a date into a formatted string, and you can use the various formatting options to customize how the date is displayed. For example, if you want to display the date in the format “dd/mm/yyyy”, you can use the formula =TEXT(TODAY(),”dd/mm/yyyy”). This will return the current date in the specified format, and it will automatically update each day. Question 4: How do I create a cell that counts the number of days since a certain date? Answer: To create a cell that counts the number of days since a certain date, you can use the DATEDIF() function. This function will return the number of days, months, or years between two dates. For example, if you want to count the number of days since 1 January 2021, you can use the formula =DATEDIF(TODAY(), DATE(2021,1,1),”d”) to calculate the number of days since that date. Question 5: How do I add the current date and time to a cell in Excel? Answer: To add the current date and time to a cell in Excel, you can use the NOW() function. This function will return the current date and time, and it will automatically update each time the spreadsheet is opened. For example, if you enter the formula =NOW() in cell A1, it will display the current date and time. Question 6: How do I add a timestamp to a cell in Excel? Answer: To add a timestamp to a cell in Excel, you can use the NOW() function. This function will return the current date and time, and it will automatically update each time the spreadsheet is opened. For example, if you enter the formula =NOW() in cell A1, it will display the current date and time. You can also use the TEXT() function to format the timestamp to display only the time. For example, if you want to display the timestamp in the format “hh:mm”, you can use the formula =TEXT(NOW(),”hh:mm”). This will return the current time in the specified format, and it will automatically update each time the spreadsheet is opened. Automatically updating dates in Excel can be a great way to keep your spreadsheets up to date and organized. With the help of the steps outlined in this article, you can now easily update date fields with just a few clicks. With this, you can save time and effort, giving you more time to focus on other tasks. Excel is a powerful tool and mastering it can make your life easier.