The NOW() function in Excel returns the current date and time. It is a volatile function, meaning it updates every time the worksheet recalculates. Below are 12 examples of how you can use the NOW() function, including combining it with other functions and formulas:
1. Basic Usage
Returns the current date and time.
=NOW()
Output: 10/25/2023 14:30 (example)
2. Extract Date Only
Use the INT function to extract only the date portion.
=INT(NOW())
Output: 10/25/2023
3. Extract Time Only
Subtract the date portion to get only the time.
=NOW()-INT(NOW())
Output: 0.604166667 (decimal representing time, format as time)
4. Add Days to Current Date
Add 7 days to the current date and time.
=NOW()+7
Output: 11/01/2023 14:30
5. Subtract Hours from Current Time
Subtract 3 hours from the current time.
=NOW()-TIME(3,0,0)
Output: 10/25/2023 11:30
6. Calculate Days Between Two Dates
Calculate the number of days between the current date and a specific date (e.g., 12/31/2023).
=INT("12/31/2023"-NOW())Output: 67 (days remaining)
7. Format Date and Time
Use TEXT to format the output of NOW().
=TEXT(NOW(), "mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm AM/PM")
Output: 10/25/2023 02:30 PM
8. Check if a Date is in the Future
Check if a specific date (e.g., 11/01/2023) is in the future compared to the current date.
=IF("11/01/2023">NOW(), "Future", "Past or Present")Output: Future
9. Calculate Age in Years
Calculate the age based on a birthdate (e.g., 05/15/1990).
=DATEDIF("05/15/1990", NOW(), "y")Output: 33 (years)
10. Round Time to Nearest Hour
Round the current time to the nearest hour.
=MROUND(NOW()-INT(NOW()), "1:00")
Output: 15:00 (if the time is 14:30)
11. Create a Timestamp
Use NOW() to create a static timestamp by copying and pasting as values.
Enter
=NOW()in a cell.Copy the cell and paste it as a value (Ctrl + Alt + V, then select "Values").
12. Countdown to a Specific Date
Calculate the time remaining until a specific date and time (e.g., 12/31/2023 23:59).
="12/31/2023 23:59"-NOW()
Output: 67.39583333 (days remaining, format as time if needed)
Notes:
The
NOW()function updates every time the worksheet recalculates. If you need a static timestamp, use the method in Example 11.To format the output, right-click the cell, choose "Format Cells," and select the desired date or time format.
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