Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 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: Date Last Edited.

Date Last Edited

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated November 12, 2022)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365


Kathy asked if there was a way to insert a field in Word that displays the date that the document was last edited. The answer is a resounding yes—and no.

Word maintains a wide array of statistics related to your document. You can see most of these by displaying the Properties dialog box for the document. Many of these properties can be inserted in your document through the use of fields. The key field related to "last edited date" is the property that shows on the Statistics tab that is labeled "Modified." This date is inserted in a document through the use of the SAVEDATE field. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Statistics tab of the Properties dialog box.

There is a huge caveat here, however: Saving does not equal editing, on many different levels. First of all, if I edit a document right now, walk away from it for an hour, and then do nothing else except save it, the SAVEDATE will represent the time when I saved the document, not an hour earlier when I last edited it. In addition, if I open a document, make no changes, and simply save it right away, the SAVEDATE is updated.

Given the obvious disparity between editing and saving, one could reasonably ask why Word doesn't track when edits were last done, separate from when a document was last saved. The answer is sort of simple—there is no real way to tell when edits were last made because there is no clear understanding of what constitutes an edit. For example, most people would agree that changing a character or two in a document is an edit. How about when fields are updated in a document? Does that count as an edit? Some would say yes, and others no. How about when links are refreshed, or when a macro is run? How about when repagination is done in the background, or when the spelling and grammar checker underlines questionable words?

You get the idea. The bottom line is that it is easier for Word to simply track when a document was last saved, rather than trying to second-guess what passes for a valid edit. Provided you save your document right after you make your edits (and only then), the SAVEDATE field will reflect the last time you made edits.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (10805) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Date Last Edited.

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. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Changing the Type of Page Numbers Used in Headers or Footers

Like to have your page numbers displayed using different types of numbers? Here's how you can choose from the several ...

Discover More

Copying Paragraph Formatting with the Mouse

When you get one paragraph formatted just the way you want, you might want to copy that formatting so it can be applied ...

Discover More

Copying Rows between Worksheets Based on a Text Value

Want to move data from one worksheet to another based on a text value in a column. There are a couple of ways you can ...

Discover More

Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 365 applications with VBA programming. Written in clear terms and understandable language, the book includes systematic tutorials and contains both intermediate and advanced content for experienced VB developers. Designed to be comprehensive, the book addresses not just one Office application, but the entire Office suite. Check out Mastering VBA for Microsoft Office 365 today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Converting All DATE Fields to Text

Fields allow you to add a lot of dynamic information to your documents. One field you can add is the DATE field, which ...

Discover More

Numbering with Sequence Fields

One of the most powerful and versatile fields you can use in Word is the SEQ field. This tip shows how you can use the ...

Discover More

Extracting INCLUDEPICTURE File Names

If you use the INCLUDEPICTURE field to add images to your document, you may love the macro in this tip. It allows you to ...

Discover More
Subscribe

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.

What is five minus 3?

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.

Videos
Subscribe

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

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.