TODAY in Excel: how to use it
TODAY gives today's date and updates automatically. The brackets stay empty.
Try the first exercises for freeIn the lesson TODAY and DATE
What does TODAY do?
TODAY gives today's date, and NOW gives the date with the time. Nothing goes between the brackets, but you do type them.
Both update themselves: if you open the file tomorrow, it shows tomorrow's date. That's handy for counting down to a deadline or for an age, but not for a date that has to stay put, such as the date of an invoice. For that, press Ctrl + ;.
When do you use TODAY?
- How many days are left until a deadline: =A2-TODAY().
- Someone's age today: =DATEDIF(A2,TODAY(),"Y").
- Checking whether a payment is late: =IF(A2<TODAY(),"Late","On time").
- Showing today's date at the top of a report: =TODAY().
- The hour right now: =HOUR(NOW()). NOW gives the date and the time together.
Syntax
The syntax is the fixed pattern of a function. The words in the brackets are placeholders: that's where you fill something in yourself, such as a cell, a number or a piece of text. Everything else you type exactly as it is.
Today's date.
Filled in: =TODAY()
This is how to read the formula, part by part:
| Part | What it means | In the example |
|---|---|---|
= | Every formula starts with an equals sign. Without =, Excel treats what you type as ordinary text. | = |
TODAY | The name of the function: that's how Excel knows what to do. You can type it in lower case, Excel puts it in capitals itself. | TODAY |
( ) | The brackets stay empty, but you do type them: without brackets, Excel doesn't recognise the function. | ( ) |
TODAY step by step
This is how to build the formula yourself:
- Click an empty cell and type TODAY with a bracket.
=TODAY( - Close the bracket straight away: TODAY doesn't need anything between the brackets.
=TODAY() - Press Enter: you see today's date. Tomorrow, it shows tomorrow's date of its own accord.
More examples
Days until a deadline
C1 contains =A2-TODAY(). The number of days until the deadline. Every day, the number goes down by one.
An age
C1 contains =DATEDIF(A2,TODAY(),"Y"). The age in whole years, today. On 15 June, it goes up by a year.
Late or on time
C1 contains =IF(A2<TODAY(),"Late","On time"). If the due date is before today, the payment is late.
Handy for
Working out the days until a deadline with =A1-TODAY(), or an age with DATEDIF. If you want a fixed date that no longer changes, use Ctrl + ; .
Where it often goes wrong
- The value changes every day, so don't use it for an invoice date.
Practise this in the lesson TODAY and DATE. The first exercises are free.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get the time as well?
With NOW().
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