Navigation:  Page formatting > Headers and footers > Inserting date and time

Information such as date or time, page number, etc., is often used in headers and footers. You can insert this information via fields. For more information, see Inserting other fields.

If you want to insert a specific date/time, you can do so very conveniently via the Date/time button. This allows you to insert the current date or time either as a field or as fixed text. First, place the text cursor in the desired position in the header or footer and click on the Date/time icon on the contextual ribbon tab Header and footer | group Insert.

Alternatively, you will find the command Date/time on the ribbon tab Insert | group Text (this allows you to insert the date/time into the normal text at any time).

Inserting the date and time as fixed text

In contrast to fields, a fixed text is created with the date or time, which is no longer automatically updated.

By choosing the ribbon command Date/time, a dialog box appears. Here, you can choose whether the header/footer should contain the date or time, and you can specify the format.

If you do not like any of the predefined formats, you can click on the New format button and type in your own format using the abbreviations described in Inserting a field.

Inserting the date and time as fields

If you want the date or time to be inserted as a field rather than as fixed text, enable the option Insert as field in the dialog box. Write then creates a field (Print date or Print time). For information on the use of fields, see Fields.

Tip: Using shortcut keys

To insert the current date or time (as fixed text), you can use the following shortcut keys:

▪Insert date: Ctrl+. (period)

▪Insert time: Ctrl+Shift+. (period)

When you press one of these key combinations, the date or time will be inserted immediately – without a dialog box appearing.