How to Use the TODAY Function in WPS on Windows

This how-to guide includes 4 operation topics for the TODAY function, and all 4 are available without membership.

How-to Index

How-to Guide

1. Enter the TODAY function

Entry point: the formula bar or a target cell

1. Open WPS Spreadsheet and select the cell where you want the result to appear.
2. Type = in the formula bar or directly in the cell.
3. Type TODAY.
4. Complete the formula as =TODAY() and press Enter.

Success Criteria

• On-screen result: the cell shows the current date.
• Next step available: you can format the date or use it in another formula.

Tips While Using

• Common mistake: missing parentheses can prevent the formula from being recognized correctly.
• Environment note: if the result does not look like a date, change the cell format to a date format.

2. Use formula hints while entering TODAY

Entry point: the formula bar

1. Select the target cell and type =TODAY(.
2. Check the formula hint shown on screen.
3. Complete the closing parenthesis so the formula becomes =TODAY().
4. Press Enter to confirm the formula.

Success Criteria

• On-screen result: a formula hint appears while you type.
• Next step available: after confirmation, the cell returns the current date.

Tips While Using

• Common mistake: adding extra arguments can cause an error.
• Environment note: formula hints are available in an editable spreadsheet environment.

3. Combine TODAY with other functions

Entry point: the formula bar

1. Select the cell where you want the calculation result.
2. Enter a formula that includes TODAY, such as =YEAR(TODAY()) or =A2-TODAY().
3. Check that the cell references and parentheses are complete.
4. Press Enter to view the result.

Success Criteria

• On-screen result: the cell returns the result of the combined formula.
• Next step available: you can fill down or copy the formula to other cells.

Tips While Using

• Common mistake: text-formatted dates may produce unexpected results.
• Environment note: for cross-sheet references, make sure the referenced sheet and cells are valid.

4. Recalculate and refresh TODAY results

Entry point: a worksheet that already contains TODAY formulas

1. Open the worksheet that contains the TODAY formula.
2. Check whether the displayed result needs to be refreshed.
3. Press F9 to trigger recalculation.
4. Review whether the TODAY-based result has updated.

Success Criteria

• On-screen result: date-based results refresh according to recalculation behavior.
• Next step available: you can continue saving, analyzing, or exporting the worksheet.

Tips While Using

• Common mistake: if the result does not change, first confirm that the system date has changed.
• Environment note: some updates depend on worksheet recalculation status.