Explained: Excel’s NOW vs TODAY Function — What’s the Difference?

When working with time-sensitive data, Excel offers two handy functions to insert the current date and time: NOW() and TODAY(). They seem similar but serve different purposes.

📌 TODAY() Function:

=TODAY() returns the current date only, without the time.

=TODAY()

Example Output: 07-07-2025

⏱️ NOW() Function:

=NOW() returns both the current date and time.

=NOW()

Example Output: 07-07-2025 11:38 PM

📊 Use Cases:

1. Timestamping Reports:

Use NOW() for logging exact moments of entry or updates.

2. Daily Schedule Planning:

Use TODAY() to check deadlines or filter data by day.

3. Time Calculations:

=NOW()-TODAY() gives the time passed since midnight (as a decimal).

⚠️ Caution:

• Both functions are volatile—they recalculate whenever the worksheet changes.
• To freeze the date/time, copy the cell and use Paste Values.

📥 Bonus Tip:

Use TEXT(NOW(),"dd-mm-yyyy hh:mm:ss AM/PM") to format the result neatly.

📥 Download Smart Timestamp Templates:

Visit our Gumroad store to get dynamic log sheets with built-in date/time formulas.

✨ Whether you’re tracking daily logs or marking updates, knowing the difference between NOW and TODAY will make your sheets smarter!