How to Insert Date in Excel

Welcome to our guide on how to insert date in Excel. Adding dates to your Excel spreadsheet is one of the most basic functions that you will probably encounter when working with data. However, if you are new to Microsoft Excel, inserting dates may seem like a daunting task. In this post, we will provide you with simple steps to follow so that you can effortlessly insert dates into your Excel worksheet. Whether you need to create a deadline tracker or maintain a record of invoices, you will learn how to add dates and format them according to your needs.

Understanding the Date Format in Excel

Before we dive into inserting dates into an Excel sheet, let’s take a moment to understand how Excel stores and handles dates. In Excel, dates are represented as serial numbers – this means that Excel stores dates as integers which represent the number of days since the beginning of the year 1900. For example, January 1, 1900, is represented by the number 1, and January 1, 2022, is represented by the number 44519.

Inserting Today’s Date

If you want to insert today’s date into your Excel sheet, simply place the cursor in the cell where you want to insert the date and press Ctrl + ; (semi-colon) on your keyboard. Excel will automatically insert the current date in the selected cell.

Inserting a Specific Date

If you want to insert a specific date into your Excel sheet, such as a project deadline, follow these steps:

1. Select the cell where you want to insert the date.
2. Type the date in the cell using one of the following formats:
   • MM/DD/YY (e.g., 04/25/22)
   • MM-DD-YY (e.g., 04-25-22)
   • MMM/DD/YY (e.g., Apr/25/22)
3. Press Enter on your keyboard.

Inserting Dates Using the Date Picker

If you prefer using the date picker to insert dates into your Excel sheet, here are the steps to follow:

1. Select the cell where you want to insert the date.
2. Go to the ‘Home’ tab on the Excel ribbon and click on the ‘Number Format’ dropdown menu located in the ‘Number’ group.
3. Select ‘Date’ from the list of options.
4. Click on the small arrow next to the date format dropdown.
5. Select the desired date format.
6. Click on the ‘Date Picker’ icon located in the ‘Number’ group. This will open the ‘Calendar’ dialog box.
7. Select the desired date from the calendar or use the arrow keys to navigate to the desired date.
8. Click on ‘OK’ to insert the date into the selected cell.

Changing the Date Format

If you have already inserted dates into your Excel sheet, you can easily change their format using the ‘Format Cells’ dialog box. Here’s how:

1. Select the cells that contain the dates you want to format.
2. Press Ctrl + 1 on your keyboard to open the ‘Format Cells’ dialog box.
3. Select the ‘Date’ category.
4. Select the desired date format.
5. Click on ‘OK’ to apply the new format to the selected cells.

Now that you have learned how to insert and format dates in Excel, you will be able to keep track of important dates with ease. Remember that dates are represented as serial numbers in Excel, and you can use today’s date, specific dates, or the date picker to insert dates into your sheet. With a little bit of practice, you will be an Excel date expert in no time!

Calculating Dates in Excel

Excel can do more than just insert and format dates – it can also calculate the difference between two dates, add or subtract days, or find the date that is a certain number of days in the future or past. Here are some useful date-related functions that you can use in Excel:

DATEDIF function

The DATEDIF function allows you to calculate the difference between two dates in various units, such as years, months, or days. The syntax of the DATEDIF function is as follows:

=DATEDIF(start_date,end_date,unit)

where ‘start_date’ and ‘end_date’ are the two dates you want to compare, and ‘unit’ is the unit of measurement (e.g., “y” for years, “m” for months, “d” for days).

TODAY function

The TODAY function returns the current date in Excel. You can use this function to keep track of how many days are left until a deadline, for example. The syntax of the TODAY function is:

=TODAY()

DATE function

The DATE function allows you to create a date from individual year, month, and day components. This function is useful if you need to calculate dates that are a certain number of days in the future or past. The syntax of the DATE function is:

=DATE(year,month,day)

Inserting dates into an Excel sheet is a fundamental task that you will encounter when working with data. By following the steps and tips in this guide, you can easily insert dates in Excel, change their format, and calculate date-related functions using built-in Excel functions. With practice, you will become proficient in using dates in your Excel spreadsheets and be able to leverage their full potential.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions that may help you with inserting dates in Excel:

Can I insert a date in Excel without specifying the year?

Yes, you can insert a date without specifying the year by formatting the cell or column as a date and typing in the day and month (e.g. 25-Apr) or using the Date Picker to choose the desired date and deselecting ‘Include year’.

How can I quickly insert the current date in an Excel sheet?

You can insert the current date in an Excel sheet by pressing Ctrl + ; (semi-colon) on your keyboard. This will insert the current date into the selected cell.

Can I change the default date format in Excel?

Yes, you can change the default date format in Excel by going to the ‘File’ tab and selecting ‘Options’. Then, click on ‘Advanced’ and scroll down to the ‘When calculating this workbook’ section. Here, you can select the desired date format under the ‘Use this date format’ dropdown.

What is the maximum date that Excel can handle?

Excel can handle dates up to December 31, 9999, which is represented by the serial number 2958465.

How can I calculate the number of days between two dates in Excel?

You can calculate the number of days between two dates in Excel by subtracting the earlier date from the later date. For example, the formula =B2-A2 will calculate the number of days between the dates in cells A2 and B2.