Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365. 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 Word in Microsoft 365

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 Word in Microsoft 365. 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...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Setting Fraction Bar Thickness in the Equation Editor

The Equation Editor is a great tool for easily creating fancy-looking equations in your document. You can even control ...

Discover More

Checking if a Workbook is Already Open

Knowing of a workbook is already open can be a prerequisite to your macro working correctly. Here's how to check it out.

Discover More

Identifying Values that Don't Follow a Specific Pattern

When you store textual information in a worksheet, it can be helpful to figure out if that information follows a pattern ...

Discover More

The First and Last Word on Word! Bestselling For Dummies author Dan Gookin puts his usual fun and friendly candor back to work to show you how to navigate Word 2013. Spend more time working and less time trying to figure it all out! Check out Word 2013 For Dummies today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Manual Line Breaks in STYLEREF Results

The STYLEREF field returns all the text referenced by a given style. When the text includes special characters, such as a ...

Discover More

Creating an AutoText List

The AUTOTEXTLIST field is one of those esoteric fields that you may know nothing about. The cool thing it does is it ...

Discover More

Inserting the User's Initials

One of the pieces of information tracked by Word are your name and initials. You can insert your initials by using the ...

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 2 + 5?

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.

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.