NOW
Returns the current date and time. Updates automatically when the worksheet is recalculated.
NOW()=NOW()Returns current date and time
=INT(NOW())Extracts just the date portion
=NOW()-TODAY()Returns just the time as a decimal
- •NOW() returns a serial number with date and time
- •Use TODAY() if you only need the date
- •Time is stored as a decimal fraction of a day
- •Using NOW to timestamp when something happened, not realizing it recalculates and changes every time the workbook opens or recalculates, not just once
- •Forgetting NOW includes both date and time, which can throw off date-only comparisons unless you strip the time portion with INT()
- •Expecting NOW to reflect a server's time zone rather than the local computer's system clock
How do I get just the date from NOW, without the time?
Wrap it in INT(), like INT(NOW()), which strips the decimal time portion and leaves the whole-number date.
Why does my timestamp keep changing after I recorded it with NOW?
NOW recalculates every time the workbook recalculates, so it never stays fixed. Use Ctrl+Shift+; to insert a static timestamp instead, or copy and paste the result as a value.
Does NOW use my computer's clock or a server's?
Your local computer's system clock, which is why the result can look off if your system time or time zone is set incorrectly.
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