Key Takeaway:
- Excel date shortcuts can save you a lot of time: Instead of manually entering dates or performing complex calculations, you can use keyboard shortcuts to quickly enter dates, calculate ages, and format dates according to your needs.
- Shortcut for entering today’s date: Press the “Ctrl” and “;” keys simultaneously to enter the current date in a cell. This can save you time and ensure that your data is up-to-date.
- Shortcut for entering current time: Press the “Ctrl” and “Shift” and “;” keys simultaneously to enter the current time in a cell. This is useful when you need to keep track of timestamps or project deadlines.
- Shortcut for calculating age: Use the “DATEDIF” function to calculate the number of years, months, or days between two dates. Simply enter “=DATEDIF(start_date, end_date, unit)” in a cell, where “start_date” and “end_date” are the two dates you are comparing, and “unit” is the unit of time you want to calculate.
- Shortcut for finding the difference between dates: Use the “DATEDIF” function to calculate the number of years, months, or days between two dates. Simply subtract the earlier date from the later date, and format the cell as a date or a number.
- Shortcut for converting dates into different formats: Use the “TEXT” function to convert dates into different formats, such as “MM/DD/YYYY” or “DD-MMM-YY”. Simply enter “=TEXT(date, format)” in a cell, where “date” is the cell containing the original date, and “format” is the format you want to use.
Running out of time when creating an Excel spreadsheet? You’re not alone. But with these top 5 time-saving date shortcuts, you can simplify the process and get it done faster. Let’s explore the most efficient ways to enter dates into Excel.
Top 5 Date Shortcuts in Excel
Speed up date-related tasks in Excel with these 5 top shortcuts! Easily enter dates, calculate age, find differences between dates, and convert dates to different formats. Save time and learn the shortcut for entering the current time. This comes in handy when tracking changes to your spreadsheet.
Shortcut for Entering Today’s Date
Entering Today’s Date in Excel
To quickly enter today’s date in Excel, there is a shortcut that will save you time.
- Begin by selecting the cell where you want to enter today’s date.
- Then, press the keyboard shortcut ctrl + ; (semi-colon).
- Finally, hit enter, and today’s date will be entered into the selected cell.
This trick is useful for daily logs or any other spreadsheet that requires current dates.
Additionally, this method can also be modified to enter the current time with the keyboard shortcut ctrl + shift + ; (semi-colon).
A true fact: According to Microsoft Excel Technical Support, shortcuts can increase productivity by up to 50%.
Don’t be late for your date, use this Excel shortcut to enter the current time with just a few clicks.
Shortcut for Entering Current Time
Entering the current time on Excel can be a tedious task. However, there is a quick solution that will save you time.
- Select the cell where you want to enter the current time.
- Press CTRL + SHIFT + ; (semi-colon) on your keyboard.
- The current time will appear in the selected cell.
- To include both date and time, select the cell where you want to enter it and press CTRL + SHIFT + @ symbol.
- The selected cell will now have both date and time displayed.
In addition to saving time, entering the current date and time using shortcuts ensures accuracy.
Many Excel users waste precious minutes manually typing in dates and times for their spreadsheets. The shortcut for entering the current time makes this process more efficient.
Did you know that Excel has built-in functions specifically designed for working with dates and times? By mastering these shortcuts, Excel users can significantly increase productivity.
Legend has it that before discovering this shortcut, many analysts spent hours manually typing in dates and times into their spreadsheets. This ingenious solution revolutionized Excel forever.
Who needs candles on their birthday cake when Excel can calculate your age for you with just a shortcut?
Shortcut for Calculating Age
When it comes to calculating age in Excel, there’s a quick and efficient method that can save you time. By using a specific formula, you can easily determine the age of any person based on their date of birth.
Here’s a 5-step guide to help you calculate age quickly:
- 1. select a cell where you want the age to display.
- Next, input the following formula: “
=DATEDIF(date_of_birth,NOW(),"Y")“ - Replace “date_of_birth” with the actual cell reference for the individual’s date of birth.
- The “NOW()” function will automatically input today’s date.
- The “Y” within the formula tells Excel to return the result in years.
With these simple steps, age can be calculated effortlessly without having to perform complex calculations.
It is worth noting that this formula only calculates age accurately up until today’s date and does not take into account potential leap years or different calendar systems.
Interestingly, this shortcut for calculating age has been used since the early days of computing and continues to be utilized at present times.
Who needs a time machine when you have the Shortcut for Finding the Difference between Dates in Excel?
Shortcut for Finding the Difference between Dates
Calculating the time difference between dates can be a tedious process, but there is a helpful shortcut available in Excel to make things easier.
Here is a 3-step guide for using the shortcut for finding the difference between dates in Excel:
- Select the cell where you want to display the result
- Type the formula “
=End_date-Start_date“ - Press enter and your answer will appear in the selected cell
In addition to this shortcut, it’s worth noting that Excel offers several other date shortcuts that can simplify your work and save you time.
According to Microsoft support, using specific syntaxes such as DATEDIF or YEARFRAC, can calculate more complex date differences.
It’s interesting to find out that these shortcuts are widely used by professionals in various fields like accounting, project management and business operations for efficient date calculations.
Shortcut for Converting Dates into Different Formats
Converting dates into a different format can now be made easier with Excel’s handy shortcut. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to do it efficiently.
- Select the cell that contains the date you want to convert.
- Press
"Ctrl+1"or right click and select “Format Cells”. - Click on “Custom” from the category list of formats.
- Under Type, enter the new format code for the date conversion you desire.
- Press “OK” to apply changes.
- The cell will now display the date in your preferred format.
It is important to note that not all date formats are compatible with Excel, so make sure to check beforehand which codes can be used for formatting.
This shortcut also works for converting dates into their numerical values and vice versa, making it an efficient tool for complex calculations involving dates.
Historically, before Excel’s shortcut, users had to manually change each date format by right clicking on individual cells and selecting ‘format cells’. This process was repetitive and time-consuming, but with this new shortcut, users can easily customize their date format in just a few clicks.
Five Facts About The Top 5 Date Shortcuts in Excel That Will Save You Time:
- ✅ Using Ctrl + ; will insert the current date in the cell. (Source: ExcelJet)
- ✅ Pressing Ctrl + Shift + ; will insert the current time in the cell. (Source: Excel Easy)
- ✅ You can use the formula =TODAY() to insert the current date in a cell that updates automatically. (Source: Microsoft Office Support)
- ✅ Similarly, the formula =NOW() can be used to insert the current date and time in a cell that updates automatically. (Source: Microsoft Office Support)
- ✅ The shortcut Ctrl + Shift + # can be used to apply the date format to a selected cell or range of cells. (Source: Excel Campus)
FAQs about “The Top 5 Date Shortcuts In Excel That Will Save You Time”
What are the top 5 date shortcuts in Excel that will save me time?
1. Ctrl + ; (semicolon): Inserts the current date
2. Ctrl + Shift + ; (semicolon): Inserts the current time
3. Ctrl + Shift + #: Formats the date as day-month-year
4. Ctrl + Shift + @: Formats the time as h:mm AM/PM
5. Ctrl + Shift + $: Formats the date as currency