In the world of data and spreadsheets, keeping track of dates in real-time is essential for everything from project timelines to attendance sheets, dashboards, or automated reports. One of the simplest yet most powerful Excel tools that helps us stay up-to-date is the TODAY() function.
This blog will explore what the TODAY() function is, how it works, where to use it, and several practical examples to help you master it — whether you’re a student, admin, data manager, or office executive.
📌 What is the TODAY() Function in Excel?
The TODAY() function is a built-in Excel formula that returns the current date based on your computer's system clock. It's dynamic — which means it updates automatically every day you open or refresh your spreadsheet.
✅ Syntax:
⚠ Note:
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It does not require any arguments (no inputs in the brackets).
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It shows only the date (not the time).
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The date updates every time the sheet recalculates (e.g., when you open the workbook or make a change).
🎯 Why Use TODAY() in Excel?
The TODAY() function is used in many practical scenarios:
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Auto-updating reports (e.g., due dates, age, project deadlines)
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Tracking document creation or update dates
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Highlighting overdue tasks
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Conditional formatting
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Time-sensitive calculations (like warranty expiry or employee tenure)
It is simple but powerful when used smartly, especially in combination with other Excel functions like IF(), DATEDIF(), TEXT(), and NETWORKDAYS().
🧪 Real-Life Use Cases & Examples
Let’s explore a few real-world examples where the TODAY() function adds dynamic value to your work:
🔹 1. Calculate Age or Service Tenure
Let’s say you have an employee’s joining date in cell A2. You want to calculate how long they’ve worked in years.
This formula returns the total number of years between the joining date and today.
🔹 2. Check If a Task Is Overdue
Suppose task deadlines are listed in column B. You want to flag overdue tasks.
This formula automatically tells you if the task is overdue based on today's date.
🔹 3. Calculate Days Remaining to Deadline
You have a deadline in cell C2. Want to find how many days are left?
This returns a positive number if the deadline is in the future, negative if it's past.
🔹 4. Insert Today’s Date in Invoice or Letterhead
If you're generating invoices or letters and want the current date to appear dynamically:
You can also format the cell as “DD-MMM-YYYY” or “MMMM DD, YYYY” for better appearance.
🔹 5. Using TODAY() with Conditional Formatting
To highlight all expired dates in red:
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Select the date column.
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Go to Home → Conditional Formatting → New Rule.
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Use a formula:
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Choose red fill.
This will highlight all past dates automatically.
🔹 6. Count Days Since an Event
If a product was delivered on 10-Apr-2024 (in cell A2), and you want to know how many days have passed:
This gives you the number of days since delivery — useful for service, maintenance, or follow-up tasks.
🔹 7. Combine with TEXT() for Readable Date
Want to display the current date in a sentence?
Output:
Today is Tuesday, May 14, 2025
Great for dashboards or auto-generated reports!
⏱ TODAY() vs. NOW() – What’s the Difference?
| Function | Returns | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
TODAY() | Current date only | Use when time isn’t important |
NOW() | Current date + time | Use when time tracking is required |
Example: NOW() might return 14-05-2025 10:32 AM, while TODAY() only shows 14-05-2025.
🛠 Format Control: Changing Date Display
If you want to change how TODAY() displays the date:
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Select the cell with
=TODAY() -
Right-click → Format Cells → Number → Date
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Choose format:
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14-Mar-12
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March 14, 2025
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14/05/2025 etc.
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Or use the TEXT() function for more customization.
🚫 Things to Remember
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TODAY()is volatile – it recalculates every time the worksheet does. This may slow performance in large files. -
It works based on system time, so if your system date is incorrect, the result will also be wrong.
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For static dates (that don’t change), press Ctrl + ; instead of using
=TODAY().
💼 Use in Corporate Excel Templates
Some common templates that use TODAY() include:
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Attendance registers
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Leave tracking sheets
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Expiry or renewal trackers
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Project milestone dashboards
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Invoice templates with auto-date
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Daily sales or operations reports
It’s a small function with huge potential.
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