XL97: Macro to Change the Date/Time Format in a Header/Footer

• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Excel, when you use the date code, &[Date], to insert the date in the header or footer of a document, the date appears in the default "MM/DD/YY" format. The time code, &[Time], appears in the default "H:MM AM/PM" format. These date and time formats are based on the time settings on the Time tab of the Regional Settings Properties dialog box.

NOTE: You can find Regional Settings in the Control Panel.

To use a date or time format other than the default format, do either of the following:

• Manually type the time or date in the header or footer.

      -or-
  

• Use a Visual Basic for Applications macro to change the format.

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft provides examples of Visual Basic for Applications procedures for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. The Visual Basic procedures in this article are provided 'as is' and Microsoft does not guarantee that they can be used in all situations. While Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular macro, they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality, nor will they help you construct macros to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to consult one of the Microsoft Solution Providers. Solution Providers offer a wide range of fee-based services, including creating custom macros. For more information about Microsoft Solution Providers, call Microsoft Customer Information Service at (800) 426-9400.

Visual Basic for Applications Macro Example

To create a macro that places the current date in the header in the "MMM DD, YYYY" format, use the following steps:

1. Save and close any open workbooks, and then create a new workbook.

2. Start the Visual Basic Editor (press ALT+F11).

3. On the Insert menu, click Module.

4. Type the following:

         Sub Change_Format()
             ActiveSheet.PageSetup.CenterHeader = Format(Now, "MMM DD, YYYY")
         End Sub
   
   

5. On the View menu, click Microsoft Excel (or press ALT+F11).

6. Select cell A1 on the active worksheet and type your name.

7. On the Tools menu, point to Macro, and then click Macros.

8. In the Macro dialog box, click Change_Format and click Run.

9. On the File menu, click Print Preview and verify that the header contains the current date in the format you want.

   ARTICLE-ID: Q94870
   TITLE     : Excel: Changing the Date or Time Format in a Header or
               Footer

REFERENCES

For more information about Custom Formatting, click the Office Assistant, type "formatting number", click Search, and then click to view "Change the way Microsoft Excel displays numbers, dates, and times".

NOTE: If the Assistant is hidden, click the Office Assistant button on the Standard toolbar. If Microsoft Excel Help is not installed on your computer, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q120802
   TITLE     : Office: How to Add/Remove a Single Office
               Program or Component