Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Office 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 Date Your Document was Last Saved.
Every time you save a document in Word, some of the document properties information is automatically updated. Part of the information is the date on which the document was last saved. You can insert this date into your documents and have it updated automatically, if you so desire. To insert the last date your document was saved in your document, follow these steps:
Figure 1. The Field dialog box.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (9719) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Office 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Inserting the Date Your Document was Last Saved.
Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2013. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word 2013 Step by Step today!
When adding form fields to a document, you may want some of the fields to be automatically calculated from other fields. ...
Discover MoreFields are a powerful way to add dynamic content to your documents. Some fields rely on the use of parameters to control ...
Discover MoreNeed to know how many words are in your document? You can use the NumWords field to add that statistic, dynamically, to ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2020-03-30 10:05:26
Martin
The auto-update part of the field code is \@
First insert regular date time with auto-updated turned on, then edit field codes and change DATE to SAVEDATE
{ SAVEDATE \@ "M/d/yyyy h:mm am/pm" }
Use your preferred date format.
Note that the filed only updates when you open the document, not every time the document is saved while it is still open.
2019-09-17 04:17:41
George
Is it possible to extract the document properties of other documents in such a field box? I would like to have an hyperlink to a document, and the savedDate of that document next to the link.
2019-09-04 12:22:49
Ken
Ignore my last comment. I didn't realize this tip applied only to Word, not Excel.
2019-09-03 08:39:21
Ken
Excel 2007 doesn't have the "Quick Parts" option on the Insert tab. A help search for "quick parts" turned up nothing. Likewise, a search for "last save date" turned up nothing.
2017-11-26 18:22:41
CAMILLE COSTELLI
today is 11/26/17 and when i did the above insert date to a saving changed word it is today 11/26/17 and types in 7/4/2017 why?
2017-10-15 12:35:47
geshp
WORKAROUND FOR THE NO AUTO-UPDATE BUG!
Go into File -> Options -> Display and check "Update fields before printing"
You CAN NOT print a copy with the wrong timestamp after that.
2017-06-16 13:25:12
dislandguy
The description says you can set the field to update automatically but doesn't say how to do that. Manually updating is a terrible option since you have to remember to do that. It defeats the whole purpose if its possible that it will show an incorrect value. Better to not add it to the document at all rather than risk showing the wrong value, that will just discredit you.
2017-01-06 17:04:37
Dick
Hey, I found a way to make it work!!
the first part should be { = - 1 + {
2017-01-06 10:48:48
Dick
Sorry, I wasn't updating my field, but now I get a minus sign in front of my last year's year.
2017-01-06 10:25:32
Dick
I'm trying to create a (mail merge) document that refers to the previous year. How can I get the DATE field to show last years year. I've tried { = 1 - { DATE @ "yyyy" * MERGEFORMAT } } but that doesn't work. It works fine without the extra { = 1 - } but then I get today's year.
Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.
2016-12-14 11:28:34
Ted Duke
Correction/apology:
1. AFTER any save.
2. Right click and update field.
3. SAVE document again
Two saves are required in order to get the correct info into the document. I lost track and did a premature save of my own editing.
2016-12-14 10:58:08
Regarding comments by Greg and Eric: In Word 2016 the Saved Date does not automatically update, but it can be changed/updated as follows:
1. Before any save of the document...
2. Right click on the SavedDate field and choose UpdateField from the drop down menu. Value is updated.
3. Save document.
My opinion: It's feature that is crying for better automations such as update whenever saved and optionally hide when printing.
2016-12-13 17:34:02
LaVette Columbo
I tried to figure this out for over two hours. Then I resorted to google and found this site. WaaaHoooo. Project complete. I'll be back for the book.
2016-11-26 21:09:24
Rodney
thanks for the short sharp and most importantly "accurate" description. much appreciated!!
2016-08-16 07:02:48
Word 2010 can be infuriating. I have a list of Recently Opened Documents - 25. Most are pinned for easy access. BUT: what if I want a recently opened document that isn't pinned and I just want a history of word documents by most recent dates and pathways ??
I have failed after 20 minutes to find a document I was working on last week, I am not sure of it's exact title. But if I could list every saved .docx in date order from most recent instead of this PINNED with no date stuff - I'd be better off. Can anyone tell me what I am missing or IF it is possible to list in reverse date order INSTEAD of the default ? Desperate to know. Thanks Wayne
2016-05-23 10:25:50
Carmen
Works Perfect - Amazing - thanks
2016-05-17 09:21:06
Eric
Did Greg ever get a fix to the issue he described? I agree that the feature is not very useful if it does not update
2016-03-01 06:25:25
Fajar
Can you help me, if i want to put the last Sunday date in each month?
2015-08-15 17:22:54
Jamie Loonam
I put the date in the footer section (insert footer --> date & time), but just realized there's an "update automatically" button you have to click.
2015-08-13 17:52:03
Greg
In my opinion, this feature has an annoying bug. The savedate does not update when the document is saved. Even if you save/close document/open document, the savedate remains unchanged. BUT if you rightclick the field and click "update field" the field is updated. To me this feature is close to being a waste of time.
Do you know of a fix for this problem?
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.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2022 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Office 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: 
Comments