How To Insert Timestamp Or Current Date And Time In Outlook: [A Quick Guide]

Microsoft Outlook is a powerful email client that provides numerous features and functionalities to enhance productivity and communication efficiency.

One often overlooked feature is the ability to insert a timestamp or current date and time within an email message.

Utilizing this feature is easier than you might think, with several methods and shortcuts available for users to conveniently insert the current date and time.

Whether you’re composing a new message or editing an existing one, timestamp insertion can be customized to fit individual user preferences, making it an essential skill for all Outlook users.

This Article Consist:

Basics of Outlook and Timestamps

Outlook is a widely used email application developed by Microsoft.

It enables users to send, receive, and manage email messages, as well as maintain a calendar, manage contacts, and more.

One key feature of Outlook is the ability to insert timestamps or the current date and time into an email message.

This can be helpful when providing context within a message or keeping track of when a specific action was taken.

There are simple keyboard shortcuts that make it easy to insert the current date and time in Outlook.

To insert the current date into an email message:

Press the Alt + Shift + D keys simultaneously.

Similarly, to insert the current time, Press the Alt + Shift + T keys at the same time.

In addition to the default date and time format, Outlook allows users to customize the format to suit their preferences.

To access these settings, navigate to the language, date, and time settings in the Outlook options.

It is worth mentioning that the timestamps in the “received” column of the Inbox View might not display the seconds.

It appears that Outlook rounds the time to the nearest minute.

However, this does not impact the accuracy of the inserted timestamps.

Inserting Date and Time in Email Messages

When using Microsoft Outlook for email communication, it’s often helpful to include the current date and time in your email messages.

There are a couple of ways to insert the current date and time in Outlook. One simple method is to use keyboard shortcuts.

Pressing Alt + Shift + D will insert the current date, while Alt + Shift + T will insert the current time.

These shortcuts work within the body of the email message and will use the default date and time formats set in Outlook.

Another option for inserting the current date and time into your email messages is to use the Date & Time feature found in Outlook.

From the email message window, go to the “Insert” tab, and click on “Date & Time.” under the text section.

A dialog box will appear, allowing you to select the desired format for the date and time.

Once you’ve chosen your format, click “OK,” and the date and time will be inserted into the body of your email message.

It’s important to note that when inserting a date and time manually into an email, it may not automatically adjust for the recipient’s time zone.

If you want to ensure that recipients see the correct time depending on their time zone, consider using the Outlook Calendar to schedule meetings or appointments.

Creating Timestamps using Macros

To create a timestamp in Outlook, one of the most efficient ways is to use macros.

Macros are little scripts that automate repetitive tasks and can be customized to insert the current date and time with ease.

To start, open Outlook and press Alt + F11 to access the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) editor.

In the editor window, click on Insert and select Module. This action will create a new module where you can write a macro script.

Below is a simple macro script to insert the current date and time:

Sub InsertTimestamp()
    Dim objMail As MailItem
    Dim strTimeStamp As String
    
    Set objMail = Application.ActiveInspector.CurrentItem

    strTimeStamp = Format(Now, "mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss")

    objMail.Body = strTimeStamp & vbCrLf & objMail.Body
End Sub

After copying the script into the module, close the VBA editor.

To run the macro, go back to your Outlook mail item, click on the Developer tab, and select Macros.

Choose the newly created InsertTimestamp macro from the list and click Run.

The current date and time will be inserted at the beginning of the email body.

For convenient access to the macro, you can create a custom button in the Outlook toolbar.

To do this, follow these steps:

Right-click anywhere on the ribbon and select Customize the Ribbon.
In the Choose commands from dropdown, select Macros.
Find the InsertTimestamp macro in the list and click on it.
On the right side of the window, create a new group under any desired tab, for instance, the Home tab.
Click on the New Group button and rename it, e.g., “Timestamp“.
Drag the macro from the list on the left to the new group, then click OK.

Now, you will find a button for the macro in the specified ribbon group.

Clicking on it will automatically insert the timestamp at the beginning of your email body.

By using macros, Outlook users can insert timestamps with ease and improve their productivity when dealing with time-sensitive emails.

As demonstrated, the process is straightforward, customizable, and compatible with various versions of Outlook.

Customizing Date and Time Format

In Microsoft Outlook, you can customize the date and time format to be displayed in your messages, tasks, and calendar entries.

Customizing the formats not only enhances readability but also adds a personal touch to your email correspondence.

This section will walk you through the steps to customize the date and time format for your convenience.

To begin with, open Outlook and click on the File tab, followed by “Options.”

Navigate to the Calendar section, and here, you can access the date and time settings.

You will find various options for customizing the format, including predefined settings for time format and date format.

For date format, there are two primary options: “long date” and “short date.”

The long date format displays the full date, including the day, month, and year – for example, “Sunday, September 3, 2023.”

On the other hand, the short date format presents a concise version of the date, such as “09/03/2023.”

You can choose the desired format from the dropdown menu according to your preferences.

Similarly, the time format can also be customized to display a 12-hour or 24-hour format. You can select the format that best suits your requirements and region.

In addition to the standard settings, Outlook allows you to further personalize the date and time format.

To do this, click on the “Additional Settings” button and navigate to the “Date” and “Time” tabs. Here, you can define custom formats using formatting codes.

For instance, you can choose to display the month name instead of its numeric representation or include leading zeros for single-digit days and months.

By setting up your preferred date and time format in Outlook, you can help improve the clarity of your communications and ensure consistency in your professional correspondence.

Remember to save your changes once you have made your desired customizations.

Outlook Add-Ins for Automatic Timestamp

Using add-ins in Outlook is a convenient way to insert timestamps or current dates and times automatically in your emails.

Integrating add-ins with your Outlook application or Office 365 and Microsoft 365 environments enhances your email productivity and provides tailored solutions for time management.

There are a variety of add-ins available to choose from based on your requirements.

To access and get add-ins in your Outlook on the web, select a message, then under Home, click on Get add-ins.

Browse the selection of free and paid add-ins, and click on “Add” or “Get it” to start configuring the add-in for your mailbox.

One such add-in is Bells & Whistles.

By enabling certain options, Bells & Whistles can auto-insert date and time stamps within the email content, every time you send a new email, reply, or forward a message.

This tool also allows you to customize the appearance of these stamps by selecting your preferred date and time format and applying font style modifications.

Manipulating Outlook Contacts with Timestamps

Managing your Outlook contacts efficiently can be greatly enhanced by adding timestamps in the notes or email body.

By inserting the current date and time, you can easily keep track of and monitor changes, follow-ups, and communication history in a more organized manner.

When dealing with contacts, adding a date or time stamp to the contact’s notes can help you log the history of interactions with that person.

Simply open the contact in Outlook and click on the Notes section. Then, use the above-mentioned keyboard shortcuts to insert the current date or time.

Outlook allows you to customize the format of the inserted date and time to match your preferences.

In case you need a different format, you have an option to change this setting.

Go to Outlook options, select “Calendar” in the list on the left, and click on “Date and Time Formats” in the Calendar options.

There, you can choose between several date and time formats to suit your needs.

While working on email templates, Outlook provides the possibility of automatically including the current date and time in the body of an email.

This feature can be especially useful when using a template to respond to frequent inquiries or simply when keeping track of your sent messages.

Key Tricks: [Keyboard Shortcuts and Right-Click]

In Outlook, there are convenient ways to insert a timestamp or the current date and time into emails, calendar items, or tasks.

One method is using keyboard shortcuts, which allows users to quickly achieve this without navigating through menus or dialogs.

To insert the current date into an email, users can press Ctrl + Shift + D. This will instantly add the current date at the cursor’s location.

For inserting the current time, press Ctrl + Shift + T. It’s important to note that these shortcuts will insert the date and time based on your computer’s settings, so ensure they are set correctly.

Another effective method to insert a timestamp or the current date and time in Outlook is by using the right-click context menu.

When composing an email, calendar item, or task, simply right-click at the desired location, then hover over “Insert Date and Time.”

A submenu will appear, providing users with multiple date and time format options. Users can select their preferred format, and it will be instantly added to the content.

By employing these tricks, Outlook users can efficiently include timestamps, current dates, and times in their content.

Leveraging keyboard shortcuts and right-click features facilitates seamless work processes and enhances productivity in managing emails and other communication formats.

Final Words

Incorporating timestamps and the current date in Outlook messages offers users a significant advantage by providing context and aiding in organization.

Whether through keyboard shortcuts or custom formats, these adjustments allow for a tailored email experience that suits individual preferences.

However, it’s essential to remain vigilant about time zone discrepancies, especially when communicating with recipients across various geographical regions.

Advanced users can further harness the power of Outlook through several sophisticated methods. These range from custom forms and result functions to leveraging in-built features and shortcuts.

Not only do these techniques offer a personalized touch to the emails, but they also ensure that the content remains current and relevant.

Furthermore, these methods can drastically improve productivity, organizational skills, and overall record-keeping within the communication platform.

Lastly, while Excel offers a myriad of methods for timestamp insertion, it’s the combined usage of Outlook add-ins and shortcuts that truly amplifies email efficiency.

These tools enable automatic additions, making communication swift and ensuring that the conveyed messages are well-contextualized and up-to-date.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What’s the shortcut for adding date and time in an Outlook email?

To quickly insert the date and time in an Outlook email, use the keyboard shortcut Alt+N, D, Enter.

This will insert the default date and time format set in your Outlook settings. You can also select different formats using the arrow keys and press Enter to insert them.

How can I include an automatic date in an Outlook email template subject?

Unfortunately, Outlook does not support the automatic insertion of the current date in the email template subject directly.

However, you can insert the date in the body using the Date & Time button in the Text group on the Insert tab.

Afterward, you can manually copy and paste the date from the email body to the subject line.

How do I display timestamps in the Outlook reading pane?

Timestamps are displayed by default in the Outlook reading pane. To customize the date and time format,

go to File >> Options >> Calendar and scroll down to the “Time Zones” section.

Here, you can change the time format or timezone as needed. You can also find more details about customizing the date and time format in Outlook Help.

Is it possible to insert yesterday’s date in my Outlook template?

Outlook does not natively support inserting yesterday’s date automatically.

However, you can manually adjust the date in the email body using the Date & Time button on the Insert tab.

After inserting the current date, modify it to represent yesterday’s date as needed.

Can I change the date and time stamp on an email in Outlook?

Outlook does not allow users to change the date and time stamp of a received or sent email.

The date and time stamp are set by the email server and cannot be modified directly within the Outlook application.

How do I autofill the date in an Outlook email template?

To insert the current date and time automatically in an Outlook email template, use the Date & Time button in the Text group on the Insert tab.

Select the desired date and time format, and click OK. Please note that this feature inserts the date and time when the template is opened, not when the email is sent.

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How to Insert Timestamp or Current Date and Time in Outlook: [A Quick Guide]