Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Inserting the Document Creation Date.

Inserting the Document Creation Date

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated November 7, 2024)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021

Word keeps track of a good deal of information about your document, and then makes that information available to you. One of the pieces of information tracked is the document creation date. This is the date when the file was first created (opened as a new file) or the last time you chose Save As and saved the file under a new name. Word allows you to insert this date into your document by following these steps:

Position the insertion point where you want the date to appear.
Display the Insert tab of the ribbon.
Click the Quick Parts tool (in the Text group) and then choose Field. Word displays the Field dialog box.
From the categories of fields, choose Date and Time. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Field dialog box.

Select CreateDate from the Field Names list.
Select a date format by clicking on the Options button, if desired.
Click on OK to insert the field.

This type of date field is a big help when you are using dates with memos, letters, and reports. The date stays the same as when you first created the file, unless (again) you save the file under a new name, which changes the file creation date.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (9299) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Inserting the Document Creation Date.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

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2024-11-07 08:30:46

Kiwerry

@dann: If you have a minute, please explain to non-archivists why saving the creation date of a file visibly inside a document is a problem; I am assuming that the date will be suitably labelled af "File creation date" or similar.

2021-04-11 01:49:05

dann

This feature is an Archivist's nightmare. If you work for a government agency or any other type of organisation that is legally required to keep historical records and documentation, do NOT do this.

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