If you understand the immense benefits of Google Sheets and use it regularly for your business or personal needs, you’ve likely considered the underestimated function of inserting a timestamp.
A timestamp can come in handy on many occasions. It can help you validate documents for financial and legal purposes. It can also be a reliable indicator of data accuracy if different people share and edit a document.
Overall, this feature is an efficient document management tool that helps different collaborators track changes in Google Sheets.
If you’re struggling with inserting a timestamp into a Google Sheet, you’re in luck. This post will give step-by-step instructions on this topic. Read to the end to learn more.
Types of Timestamps
There are two types of timestamps: Static and Dynamic.
A Static timestamp is a simple time and date entry that won’t change no matter how often you open or edit the document. On the other hand, a Dynamic timestamp updates itself to display the current time and date. The type of timestamp you use depends on your needs.
Static timestamps are best for documents that need time and accuracy verification, like reports, or for tracking progress and measuring performance. A dynamic timestamp works when you wish to accord a spreadsheet a functional timeframe that updates regardless of when or who opens the document.
Ways to Insert a Timestamp into a Google Sheet
Let’s get into the actual steps of inserting a timestamp into a Google Sheet with the Static.
There are various ways to insert a static timestamp into a Google Sheet. We’ll discuss them further below:
Using Keyboard Shortcuts to Insert Static Timestamp into Google Sheets
The first way to insert a static timestamp into a Google Sheet is by using specific keyboard shortcuts. This involves learning the keyboard shortcuts of the date, time, and both.
Note that shortcuts vary from one computer OS to another, but we’ll use the Windows shortcuts for this example. Shortcut details are as follows:
Shortcut to insert current date: Control + :
Here’s how to do it:
Step 1. Pick the cell where you wish to insert the date and click on it.
Step 2. Press Ctrl + ; (Control + Semi Colon keys)
Shortcut to insert the current time: Control + Shift + ;
Here’s how to do it:
Step 1. Pick a cell on your Google Sheet.
Step 2. Press Control + Shift + ;
Using Formulas to insert a Static Timestamp in Google Sheets
Besides keyboard shortcuts, you can also add a static timestamp to your Google Sheet using various formulas.
Like the shortcuts above, there are different formulas for the time, date stamps, and both. Let’s get into each formula and how to execute it.
Formula to Insert Date stamp in Google Sheets:
Follow the steps below:
Step 1. Select an empty cell. Type the equal sign followed by the TEXT function.
Step 2. Type TODAY () as the first parameter, and remember to add the closing parentheses.
Step 3. Add a comma and the second parameter to specify the date format.
To get the same results as the keyboard date shortcut in the section above, use this format: “m/d/yyyy”.
Step 4. Close the parenthesis, then press Enter to see the date.
Step 5. To keep the date stamp static, copy the formula results from the first cell, then use the ‘Paste values only’ tab to paste into another. You can use the regular right-click button on your PC to bring up the copy-and-paste menu or use the Control + Shift + V shortcut for the formatted menu.
Formula to Insert Timestamp in Google Sheets:
Follow the steps below:
Step 1. Select an empty cell. Type the equal sign followed by the TEXT function.
Step 2. Type NOW () as the first parameter. Remember to add empty parentheses.
Step 3. Add a comma and then type the second parameter to specify the time format. They get the same results as the keyboard time shortcut in the section above, using this format: “hh:mm:ss”.
Step 4. Close the parenthesis, then press Enter to see the time.
Step 5. To keep the timestamp static, follow the same steps as the date stamp. Copy and paste the formula results from the first cell using the ‘Paste values only’ tab and paste them into another. You can also use the regular right-click button on your PC to bring up the copy-and-paste menu or use the Control + Shift + V shortcut for the formatted menu.
Formula to insert Date and Time stamp in Google Sheets
Combining the date and time stamp formulas for the complete timestamp is relatively easy. Just follow the instructions below:
Step 1. Select an empty cell. Type the equal sign followed by the TEXT function.
Step 2. Type NOW () as the first parameter. Remember to add the empty parentheses.
Step 3. Add a comma, then add the second parameter to specify the date and time format. They get the same results as the shortcut in the above, using this format: “m/d/yyyy hh:mm:ss”.
Step 4. Close the parenthesis, then press Enter to see the results.
Step 5. The steps to keep the timestamp static are the same as the sections above. Copy the formula results from the first cell, then paste them in another cell using the ‘Paste values only’ tab. Use the regular right-click button on your PC to bring up the copy-and-paste menu, or use the Control + Shift + V shortcut for the formatted menu.
Inserting Dynamic Timestamp in Google Sheets
The steps to inserting a dynamic timestamp into a Google Sheet are the same as those of the static one discussed above. The main difference is the elimination of Step 5 which aims to keep the values constant instead of continuously updating, as is the case for a dynamic timestamp. For clarification, here’s how to insert a dynamic timestamp:
Step 1. Select an empty cell. Type the equal sign followed by the TEXT function.
Step 2. Type NOW () as the first parameter. Remember to add the empty parentheses.
Step 3. Add a comma, then add the second parameter to specify the date and time format. They get the same results as a keyboard shortcut using this format: “m/d/yyyy hh:mm:ss”.
Step 4. Close the parenthesis, then press Enter to see the results.
As noted earlier, the dynamic timestamp changes when you refresh the spreadsheet. Most users prefer the “m/d/yyyy hh:mm:ss” timestamp for their Google Sheets. However, you can switch to a different one using the steps below:
Step 1: Click on the cell with the timestamp.
Step 2: Click on the Formula tab at the top. Go to numbers, then select Custom Date and Time on the menu to switch to the preferred format.
Conclusion
As this post highlights, inserting a timestamp to a Google Sheet is relatively easy if you know the steps to follow. Timestamps, as earlier noted, can be an invaluable feature for teams and businesses that regularly use Google Sheets for accounting functions, managing or visualizing information. The most significant benefits include insulating organizations from financial and legal consequences when documents are deemed inaccurate. Timestamps also allow team members and supervisors to track changes and verify information and timelines depending on the task’s demands.
FAQs
What is the difference between a static and dynamic timestamp?
A static timestamp is simply a current date and time data entry that remains as it is unless altered manually. The timestamp doesn’t change when you share or reopen the spreadsheet. On the other hand, a dynamic timestamp updates to the current date and time whenever you reopen or refresh the spreadsheet.
Which timestamp should I use for my Google Sheets?
The type of timestamp you use depends on your needs. For spreadsheets that require updates and verification from various users, it’s best to use a static timestamp as it doesn’t change, making it easy to track progress. If you wish to establish a timeline for a specific task on a Google sheet, then the dynamic timestamp will do.