Excel TODAY and NOW Functions

last modified April 4, 2025

The TODAY and NOW functions are essential date and time functions in Excel. TODAY returns the current date, while NOW returns both current date and time. This tutorial provides a comprehensive guide to using these functions with detailed examples. You’ll learn their syntax, practical applications, and advanced techniques.

TODAY/NOW Function Basics

The TODAY function returns the current date as a serial number that Excel recognizes as a date. NOW returns both the current date and time. Both functions update when the worksheet recalculates.

Function
Description
Syntax
Arguments


TODAY
Returns current date
=TODAY()
None


NOW
Returns current date and time
=NOW()
None

This table compares the two functions. Both are volatile functions that update automatically when the worksheet recalculates. Neither function requires any arguments.

Basic TODAY Example

This example demonstrates the simplest use of the TODAY function to display the current date.

Basic TODAY formula

=TODAY()

This formula returns the current date in Excel’s date format. The cell will display something like “4/4/2025” depending on your regional settings. The value updates each time the worksheet recalculates.

Basic NOW Example

This example shows the simplest use of the NOW function to display current date and time.

Basic NOW formula

=NOW()

This formula returns the current date and time, displaying something like “4/4/2025 14:30”. The time portion updates every time the worksheet recalculates to reflect the current moment.

Calculating Days Until Deadline

You can use TODAY to calculate days remaining until a deadline or event. This example shows how to create a countdown.

A
B


Project Deadline
4/15/2025


Days Remaining
=B1-TODAY()

The table shows a project deadline date in B1 and calculates days remaining in B2 by subtracting TODAY() from the deadline. The result updates daily.

Days remaining calculation

=B1-TODAY()

This formula subtracts today’s date from a future date to calculate days remaining. Format the result as a number to see the countdown value. Negative results indicate past due dates.

Calculating Age from Birthdate

TODAY is commonly used to calculate age from a birthdate. This example shows how to compute age in years.

A
B


Birthdate
5/12/1980


Current Age
=INT((TODAY()-B1)/365)

The table contains a birthdate in B1 and calculates age in B2 by finding the difference between today and birthdate, then converting to years.

Age calculation formula

=INT((TODAY()-B1)/365)

This formula subtracts birthdate from today, divides by 365 days, and uses INT to get whole years. For more precision, use =DATEDIF(B1,TODAY(),“Y”) instead.

Timestamp Creation with NOW

NOW is useful for creating timestamps when combined with worksheet events. This example shows a static timestamp technique.

A
B


Last Updated
=IF(A1="","",NOW())

This table demonstrates a conditional timestamp that only updates when cell A1 changes (requires VBA for automatic updates). The timestamp remains static otherwise.

Conditional timestamp formula

=IF(A1="","",NOW())

This formula shows current time only if A1 contains data. To make it static, you’ll need VBA to convert the formula to a value when A1 changes. This creates audit trails.

Calculating Time Elapsed

NOW can calculate time elapsed between events when used with manual timestamps. This example shows a simple duration calculation.

A
B


Start Time
4/4/2025 9:00 AM


End Time
4/4/2025 5:30 PM


Hours Worked
=(B2-B1)*24

The table shows start and end times with a duration calculation. Multiplying by 24 converts Excel’s time fraction to hours. Format as number for decimal hours.

Time duration calculation

=(B2-B1)*24

This formula subtracts start time from end time and multiplies by 24 to get hours. For “8:30” format, skip *24 and format cell as time. NOW() can replace B2 for real-time tracking.

Creating Dynamic Headers

TODAY and NOW are useful in report headers to show when data was current. This example demonstrates a dynamic header.