We all know that Excel is a powerful tool that can help us work more efficiently. But did you know that there are some great shortcuts that can help you work with dates more quickly and easily? Here are the top 5 date shortcuts in Excel that will save you time:
1. Use the DATE function to quickly enter a date in a cell. For example, if you want to enter the date 12/31/2015 in cell A1, you can simply type =DATE(2015,12,31) and hit Enter. Excel will automatically format the cell as a date.
2. Use the TODAY function to enter the current date in a cell. This is a great way to keep track of when a file was last updated, for example. To use the TODAY function, simply type =TODAY() in a cell and hit Enter.
3. Use the NOW function to enter the current date and time in a cell. This is a great way to track when a specific event occurred, for example. To use the NOW function, simply type =NOW() in a cell and hit Enter.
4. Use the DAY, MONTH, and YEAR functions to quickly extract the day, month, or year from a date. For example, if you have a date in cell A1, you can use the DAY function to extract the day and display it in another cell. To do this, simply type =DAY(A1) in the cell where you want the day to appear and hit Enter.
5. Use the DATEDIF function to calculate the number of days, months, or years between two dates. This is a great way to track how long something has been going on, or to calculate an expiration date. To use the DATEDIF function, simply type =DATEDIF(start date, end date, “d”) in a cell, where “d” stands for days. You can also use “m” for months or “y” for years.
Excel is a powerful tool that can help you manage and analyze data with ease. However, if you’re not using shortcuts, you’re missing out on a lot of time-saving features. In this article, we’ll explore the top 5 date shortcuts in Excel that will help you work more efficiently.
1. AutoFill
AutoFill is a great feature that can save you a lot of time when working with dates. To use AutoFill, simply enter a date in a cell and then drag the fill handle (the small square in the bottom right corner of the cell) down or across to fill in a series of dates. Excel will automatically fill in the series based on the pattern it detects in the first two dates.
Example:
If you enter “1/1/2021” in cell A1 and “1/2/2021” in cell A2, you can drag the fill handle down to fill in the series of dates for the rest of the month.
2. Keyboard Shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts are a great way to speed up your work in Excel. Here are some of the most useful keyboard shortcuts for working with dates:
- Ctrl + ; (semicolon) – inserts the current date
- Ctrl + Shift + ; (semicolon) – inserts the current time
- Ctrl + Shift + # – applies the date format to a cell
3. Flash Fill
Flash Fill is a powerful feature that can automatically fill in data based on patterns it detects in your data. To use Flash Fill with dates, simply enter the first two dates in the series and then start typing the rest of the dates. Excel will automatically detect the pattern and fill in the rest of the dates for you.
Example:
If you enter “1/1/2021” in cell A1 and “1/2/2021” in cell A2, you can start typing “1/3/2021” in cell A3 and Excel will automatically fill in the rest of the dates for the month.
4. Date Functions
Excel has a variety of built-in date functions that can help you work with dates more efficiently. Here are some of the most useful date functions:
- TODAY() – returns the current date
- DATE(year, month, day) – returns a date based on the year, month, and day values you specify
- MONTH(date) – returns the month of a date
- YEAR(date) – returns the year of a date
5. Custom Date Formats
Custom date formats can help you display dates in a way that makes sense for your data. To apply a custom date format, select the cell or range of cells you want to format, right-click, and select “Format Cells.” In the Format Cells dialog box, select the “Custom” category and enter your custom date format in the “Type” field.
Example:
If you want to display dates as “January 1, 2021” instead of “1/1/2021,” you can enter the custom date format “MMMM d, yyyy” in the “Type” field.
By using these date shortcuts in Excel, you can save time and work more efficiently. Whether you’re working with a small amount of data or a large dataset, these shortcuts will help you get the job done faster.
