How to get Word 2007 to generate the date?

July 22, 2008 10:09 AM

How do I make Microsoft Word 2007 include the date a document was created within the document itself?

I will be attending college in the fall, and in order to save time, I want to make Microsoft Word 2007 include my name and the date in a header in every document. I already have achieved something similar by altering the normal template to include my name and a dynamically updating date. Here is the problem: If the date does not dynamically update, every document contains the date that the original template was modified. If it does update, the documents contain the date of the day they were last opened. I want to make the documents generate the date they were created, and then make that date stay the same in the document forever. Any ideas?

posted by nickhb to computers & internet (6 comments total)

Create a template, then use Insert->Quick Parts->Field...->CreateDate. I just tested it using Word 2007 and it inserts the date of document creation, not template creation, and the date is not updated when the document is edited/saved/reopened/etc.
posted by jedicus at 10:20 AM on July 22, 2008

You can insert a field in your header (or anywhere in your document): Go to Insert/Field/Date and Time/Create Date. In the options you can specify the format of your date insertion.
posted by ddaavviidd at 10:21 AM on July 22, 2008

The path I gave was for Word 2004, but jedicus got the proper one.
posted by ddaavviidd at 10:24 AM on July 22, 2008

When you place the date in the header of your document go to the Insert tab on the Ribbon, the Text group and from Quick Parts choose Field. Select the Date & Time category and use Create Date. If it includes the time you can edit that out using backspace or delete and the field will still work.

If this still isn't giving the desired result, (it should), consider creating a macro. Office 2007 requires that you turn on the Developer tab in the application options, found by using the Office Button and the Options at the bottom of the resulting menu.
posted by geekyguy at 10:28 AM on July 22, 2008

Consider not altering the Normal template but instead creating a new doc, making the desired changes and saving it as a template. It is 'cleaner' to leave the original alone and it gives you the flexibility to easily not use it when you desire, (resumes, etc).
posted by geekyguy at 10:43 AM on July 22, 2008

I agree with geekyguy. Just do it at the doc level and save as a template. Safer and all that.
posted by bz at 11:06 AM on July 22, 2008