With few exceptions, time travelers are the only ones who bother asking for the current year. Otherwise, people merely want to know the month and day or just the day of the week. Word understands those people (but not time travelers), so it offers a slate of tools and tricks to insert date-and-time information into a document.
How to add the current date or time to Word documents
Rather than look at a calendar and type a date, follow these steps:- Click the Insert tab.
- In the Text group, click the Date and Time button. The button may say Date & Time, or you may see only the icon. word2019-date-time
- Use the Date and Time dialog box to choose a format.
- If desired, click the Update Automatically option so that the date-and-time text remains current with the document. Setting the Update Automatically ensures that the date and time values are updated when you open or print the document.
- Click the OK button to insert the current date or time into the document.
How to use Word's PrintDate field
The date field I use most often is PrintDate. This field reflects the current date (and time, if you like) when a document prints. It’s marvelous for including in a letterhead template or in another document you print frequently. Here’s how it works:
- Click the Insert tab.
- In the Text group, click Quick Parts →Field. The Field dialog bo, appears.
- Select Date and Time from the Categories drop-down list.
- Select PrintDate from the Field Names list.
- Choose a date-and-time format from the Field Properties area.
- Click OK.
