Inserting Initials and Date in a Comment

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated April 20, 2019)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021

Len notes that when he inserts a comment in a document, Word automatically puts his initials in the comment. He would also (in addition to the initials) like to have it insert today's date. Len wonders if there is any way to configure Word to do this.

Word does keep track of a comment's date. If you hover the mouse over the comment, by default the user's initials and the date are displayed. (The date displayed is the date the comment was last edited.) Unfortunately, the date won't appear on printouts and it doesn't appear if you have comments displayed but aren't hovering over it.

If you want to add a date to your comment, the easiest way is to use a macro, like the following:

Sub AddCommentDate()
    Selection.Comments.Add Range:=Selection.Range
    Selection.TypeText Text:=Format(Date, "dd Mmmm YYYY") & ": "
End Sub

This two-line macro first inserts a comment and then immediately types the current date. You can then continue typing your comment text, as desired. You should, of course, assign the macro to the Quick Access Toolbar or assign a shortcut key to it.

Note:

If you would like to know how to use the macros described on this page (or on any other page on the WordTips sites), I've prepared a special page that includes helpful information. Click here to open that special page in a new browser tab.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (5839) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021.

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...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Selecting Text Orientation for an Axis in Microsoft Graph

Microsoft Graph allows you to easily create charts from numeric data, without the need to use Excel. This tip explains ...

Discover More

Keep Your Headings in View

Headings on a table are very important when it comes to understanding what is in the table. This tip explains an easy way ...

Discover More

Editing Macros

Even if you do nothing but record macros, sooner or later you will have a need to edit what you record. Here's how to get ...

Discover More

Discover the Power of Microsoft Office This beginner-friendly guide reveals the expert tips and strategies you need to skyrocket your productivity and use Office 365 like a pro. Mastering software like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is essential to be more efficient and advance your career. Simple lessons guide you through every step, providing the knowledge you need to get started. Check out Microsoft Office 365 For Beginners today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Moving Text to a New Footnote

For certain types of work, footnotes are a necessity. Word provides an easy way to create new footnotes, but what about ...

Discover More

Comments Only Visible When Hovering Over a Word or Phrase

The comment feature of Word allows you to easily attach comments to words or phrases in your document. How those comments ...

Discover More

Deleting Commented Text

Word allows you to add comments to your document to aid in the development of the document. At some point you may want to ...

Discover More

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

Notify me about new comments ONLY FOR THIS TIP

Notify me about new comments ANYWHERE ON THIS SITE

Hide my email address

What is two less than 6?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.