Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Date Last Edited.

Date Last Edited

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated August 10, 2024)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


As part of setting up a worksheet, you may want the header or footer to contain the date that the workbook was last edited. Excel doesn't maintain this information, but it does allow you to perform macros whenever certain events occur, such as changes to a workbook. All you need to do is add a macro such as the following to the ThisWorkbook object in the VBA Editor:

Private Sub Workbook_SheetChange(ByVal _
  Sh As Object, ByVal Target As Excel.Range)
    ActiveSheet.PageSetup.CenterFooter = _
      "Worksheet Last Changed: " & _
      Format(Now, "mmmm d, yyyy hh:mm")
End Sub

The macro results in each footer on each worksheet in the workbook having separate dates and times on them, since each worksheet would be updated at different times. You can change the destination property (.CenterFooter) to one of the other header or footer properties (.LeftHeader, .CenterHeader, .RightHeader, .LeftFooter, .RightFooter) as desired.

You may want the header or footer to instead include the date that the workbook was last saved. (This is what many people really view as the "last edit date.") The information is visible in the Properties dialog box for a worksheet, but Excel has no menu selection or other command that allows you to insert this date into a header or footer. Instead, you must use a macro to add the desired information.

The best way to accomplish the task is to add a macro to the ThisWorkbook object that is triggered just before a workbook is saved:

Private Sub Workbook_BeforeSave(ByVal _
  SaveAsUI As Boolean, Cancel As Boolean)
    Dim sht
    For Each sht In Sheets
        sht.PageSetup.CenterFooter = _
          "Workbook Last Saved: " & _
          Format(Now, "mmmm d, yyyy hh:mm")
    Next
End Sub

This macro steps through each worksheet in the workbook and changes every center footer to have the date that the workbook was saved.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (3352) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Date Last Edited.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Seeing All Open Workbook Names

Ever want to see a list of all the workbooks that are open? If you open more than nine, Excel only displays the first ...

Discover More

Cell Address of a Maximum Value

Finding the maximum value in a range of cells is easy; finding the address of the cell containing that value is a ...

Discover More

Understanding Computer Names

Every Windows computer on your network has a name. This name typically provides some identifying information about the ...

Discover More

Best-Selling VBA Tutorial for Beginners Take your Excel knowledge to the next level. With a little background in VBA programming, you can go well beyond basic spreadsheets and functions. Use macros to reduce errors, save time, and integrate with other Microsoft applications. Fully updated for the latest version of Office 365. Check out Microsoft 365 Excel VBA Programming For Dummies today!

More ExcelTips (menu)

Adding Graphics to a Header or Footer

Excel makes it easy to add graphics to a header or footer, as long as you are using at least Excel 2002. Here's the steps ...

Discover More

Putting Cell Contents in Footers

Referencing information between cells in a worksheet is a piece of cake using some elemental formulas. You cannot, ...

Discover More

Specifying Date Formats in Headers

Don't like the default date format used by Excel when you place the date in a header or footer? You can use a macro to ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is one less than 8?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.