Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Auto inserting current date in Word .doc

Davmeister

Davmeister

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 7, 2009
334
87
London
I've currently got a header with the date in in my normal template for word.

It auto updates so that when I create a new document, it reflects the current date.

However, when that document is saved and opened again at a later date, the date will update to the date that it is being opened on, not the date it was created on.

How can I adjust the date header so that it reflects creation date as opposed to modified date?

Help would be appreciated from Office Word know it alls!

Many thanks

----------

Also, if there is no solution, can this be achieved in Pages? I'll be loathed to switch however...
 
Davmeister

Davmeister

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 7, 2009
334
87
London
lpeedin said:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/w...asic-to-elaborate-RZ001021662.aspx?section=13
Click to expand...

Thanks for this but it doesn't really help, does it?

From the link you gave:

However, if you only want to have the date the document was created in the header or footer, then just type the creation date in so that it's not updated by Word.
Click to expand...


It therefore suggests that I have to type the date in, but I want it auto-inserted when I start the document...

Furthermore the support link you gave is in reference to the Windows version of Office, which has a different Header/Footer toolbar layout.

Thanks anyway
 
E

Efrem

macrumors regular
Jul 30, 2009
115
15
You didn't say what version of Word you have. If you're using Word 2011:

Insert menu > Date and Time

Pick the format you like. Make sure the "Update Automatically" box at the bottom is not checked.
 
Davmeister

Davmeister

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 7, 2009
334
87
London
Efrem said:
You didn't say what version of Word you have. If you're using Word 2011:

Insert menu > Date and Time

Pick the format you like. Make sure the "Update Automatically" box at the bottom is not checked.
Click to expand...

Yes of course I am running the latest version, 2011.

This still does not rectify the problem. If I uncheck update automatically then all new documents will not update to reflect the current date when created. If I do, then they will update the creation date, but also every time I open the document in the future, which isn't what I want. So this doesn't help either.
 
E

Efrem

macrumors regular
Jul 30, 2009
115
15
Now I understand. The problem is that, when you create what is (to you) a new document, Word doesn't modify the creation date in the template if you set it not to update automatically. You want it to update the first time, but never again after that.

As far as I know, Word won't do that. It either updates every time or not at all. If you don't want to enter the date manually, you can set the template to auto-update (check the "Update Automatically" box). Then, when you create a new document, select the date, go to Insert > Date and Time while it's selected, and uncheck the box. It will not update any more.

That said, I suspect that inserting it by hand is easier.
 
Davmeister

Davmeister

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 7, 2009
334
87
London
Efrem said:
Now I understand. The problem is that, when you create what is (to you) a new document, Word doesn't modify the creation date in the template if you set it not to update automatically. You want it to update the first time, but never again after that.

As far as I know, Word won't do that. It either updates every time or not at all. If you don't want to enter the date manually, you can set the template to auto-update (check the "Update Automatically" box). Then, when you create a new document, select the date, go to Insert > Date and Time while it's selected, and uncheck the box. It will not update any more.

That said, I suspect that inserting it by hand is easier.
Click to expand...

As I feared! I'm usually in a hurry at the start of a lecture to get the content down and am trying to make it as quick and easy as possible to do all the usual formatting e.g. today's date as I described. Manually written it is then. I can't imagine I'm the only one that wants the date the way I do though...many thanks anyway.
 
D

dgarmaise

macrumors member
May 13, 2008
39
0
Auto update date

My problem is that in one particular document I have, I WANT the date in the footer to be updated every time I open the document. I checked the automatic update box under Date and Time, but it does not work. The date does not update.
 
M

marilynlee17

macrumors newbie
Jul 26, 2014
3
0
This is an old thread, but I've had that problem forever. Date and time stamp don't update in word on mac.
 
Inhumer

Inhumer

macrumors newbie
Jul 27, 2016
1
0
If you create a template on a PC version of Word and Insert.Quick Parts.Field.Time and Date.createdate then send that to your iPad and save it, you should get what you need, i.e. a document that always shows the date you created it. I don't have Word for Mac, but assuming you can insert createdate, you should be golden there too. The functionality is there, even if you have to work around accessing it. Don't forget, has be a template, not a simple document, or you'll just get the date the document was originally created. Hope that helps.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom