NOW function
Quick answer
NOW returns the current date and time, and updates whenever the workbook recalculates.
- Syntax
=NOW()- Most common use
=NOW()-A2returns 298.0145486 (Days since the ticket opened, with a fraction for the hours)
Use it for hours-since and time-left calculations, and to show when a report was last refreshed. To record a fixed time that never changes, type it instead: Ctrl+Shift+; enters the current time in Excel.
- Available in
- Every current version
- Category
- Date functions
- Returns
- The current date and time as a serial number.
- Google Sheets
- Works the same in Google Sheets.
Syntax
=NOW()
| Argument | Required? | What it is |
|---|
Examples
Each result below is calculated from the sample sheet by our formula engine, the same one that grades the practice.
| Cell | Formula | Result | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| B2 | =NOW()-A2 | 298.0145486 | Days since the ticket opened, with a fraction for the hours |
| B3 | =INT(NOW()) | 10/30/2026 | Today's date: the whole-number part of NOW |
| B4 | =(NOW()-A2)*24 | 7152.349167 | The same gap in hours |
Try it live
This is the sample sheet. Change any number or text, or edit a formula, and the results update.
Show the sample data as a table
| Opened | Result |
| 1/5/2026 | 298.0145486 |
| 10/30/2026 | |
| 7152.349167 |
Practice NOW
Graded instantly, then re-checked on changed data.
Hours since opened
C2, calculate how many hours each ticket has been open, from the open time in B2 until now. Fill down to C6.Common mistakes
| What you see | Why, and how to fix it |
|---|---|
| The value keeps changing | That's what NOW does. Paste it as a value, or enter the time with Ctrl+Shift+;, to freeze it. |
| Only a date shows | Format the cell as a date and time, such as m/d/yyyy h:mm. |
| A slow workbook | NOW is volatile: every formula that uses it recalculates after each change. |
Tips
- =NOW()-TODAY() is the current time of day on its own.
Questions
What is the difference between NOW and TODAY?
TODAY returns just the date; NOW returns the date and the time.
How do I calculate the hours elapsed since a time?
=(NOW()-A2)*24 gives hours, because a day is stored as 1.
Updated Checked by running: every formula on this page was run by our formula engine on .