Insert date and time as a static (non updating) entry in a single cell with a simple keyboard shortcut

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Insert date and time as a static (non updating) entry in a single cell with a simple keyboard shortcut

I just read a pile of threads on this topic going back to 2014, as well as in non-Apple forums. It seems there is yet to be a simple method to input date & time in a single cell that is static (will not auto update when the file is opened later).

The workarounds I have found can get the job done but are either confusing to set up or they require so many keystrokes that it's inefficient. I need to input the date and time often hundreds of times daily so a quick keystroke would be gold for me. Here are the workarounds I have found with my questions:

1) Input the following in a cell: =Now

Then to get the value from it without auto update, copy (cmd C) and then paste the value without the formatting (cmd shift V). And if it is frequently used a smart tip is to leave the "=Now" in a dedicated cell so it is always available to be copied and then pasted (value only).

Q: By default it will auto update; it would be such an easy solution if there was a formula for current date and time that would NOT auto update. Is there some derivative of this formula that will not auto update the date and time?

2) Automator

SGII (forum mod) suggested an Automator. I ran into problems (error message. “System Events got an error: Automator Workflow Runner (WorkflowServiceRunner, Today) is not allowed to send keystrokes.” A solution was offered to such errors but I could not figure it out on my system.

Q: I was not able to follow the instructions in other posts on this as they were spread across several back-and-forth discussions, if you know how this works could you type out the steps from start to finish, including various permissions that need to be granted?

3) The Apple method

Barry (forum mod) posted this option: 1) double click in the cell, 2) insert menu > date & time (or press cmd semi-colon), then once done, go outside the cell, then back to it again and double click and a drop-down menu will appear, in that menu choose from the selection list of a variety of date & time options. This will then give the current date & time in a static form.

Q: If a user does only the first step the time defaults to midnight; the user needs to then go outside the cell & go back in to double click again as per Barry's post to choose a date and time format which will then put the current time. This works but it takes so many steps! I don't know if it will remain static or if it will update like the =Now method. Is there a way to automate these steps or to assign a single keystroke that will do both steps? It is good that this method works, but I can not see myself using it in its current form considering I may have to do it over a hundred times each day; it would need to be somehow more efficient in order to be worth it. Also can anyone confirm if it will remain static so that it will NOT auto update? (bonus question: Barry had said that cmd semi-colon was a shortcut; when I do that instead of the date & time being inserted my cursor jumps to a different page in the Numbers spreadsheet. I looked in my keyboard settings under the 'shortcuts' tab and I could not see that cmd semi-colon was assigned to anything. Any insight?)

4) Third party tools such as "Typinator" This is one of perhaps many utilities out there that can automate typing functions; in a thread someone had said they used it to input current date and time but on the website for the utility I could not find any info on it being able to input static date and time for Apple Numbers, but perhaps it or another third party tool can work.

Q: Anyone aware of a tool that will input static date and time with a keystroke (into a single cell)?

FYI I did input a suggestion in the Apple feedback site; but considering there are forums on this with hundreds of pages of comments going back to at least 2014 and maybe earlier and it still is not available, I'm not sure if my feedback will be seen or make a difference.

The ideal solution that I would love would be to have something as simple as what Google sheets has, there is a kestroke for (static) date and a variation of that keystroke for (static) date and time; it is super easy. *please Apple* OMG this is such a widely used and very needed feature.

Any feedback on this is appreciated.

Rod

Posted on Aug 23, 2022 03:20 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Badunit

Level 7

29,898 points

Aug 23, 2022 06:03 PM in response to RWforumID777

Things have changed since back then. Pre-format the cell(s) as date and time in your preferred format then use Table->Insert Current Time or the keyboard shortcut for it. If you don't like the built-in shortcut, got to System Preferences->Keyboard and choose a new one.

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Answer 2

Barry

Level 9

60,011 points

Aug 23, 2022 07:03 PM in response to RWforumID777

". This works but it takes so many steps! I don't know if it will remain static or if it will update like the =Now method. "

When you copy the value determined by a function (such as NOW), then use Paste Formula Result to paste that result back into the cell, the pasted result replaces the formula in the cell. Without the formula, there's nothing to calculate, or otherwise change the value in the cell.

Regards,

Barry

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Answer 3

RWforumID777 Author

Level 1

19 points

Aug 24, 2022 07:20 AM in response to Barry

Thanks Barry! BTW the method you referred to in that post a few years back which I think you referred to as the "official Apple method" gives all the possible results a user could want, but the way Apple programmed it does not make it easy to find, and it takes so many steps to get the end result. I hunted around for 90 minutes before I came across your post and I have not been able to find it anywhere else, and loads of people are all over the internet trying to find a solution to this problem. I've already sent in feedback via Apple's online feedback, but if you are ever talking with the programmers it would be great if you could pass on to them that the functionality is great regarding 'getting the job done' but they need to create a menu item so that it is front and centre instead of being buried behind a series of double clicks in the cell. It's a shame that so many people are looking for this feature and many have moved on to Google Sheets just because this one issue is such a large pain point for users who enter a lot of dates & times. I've found Apple Numbers to be really amazing as I have transitioned from G sheets to Apple Numbers but there are a few issues such as this one where I'd say it is a very high priority for a wide range of people. I'm sure that it can't be that complicated to create a menu item or keystroke to input static date and time. Such a shame that it is actually programmed into Numbers but just doesn't have that one small last bit of programming to have an easy way to input it. G sheets has literally one keystroke; I'm sure Apple could arrange for that.

Thanks again for the quick reply, as always your help is really useful

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Answer 4

RWforumID777 Author

Level 1

19 points

Aug 24, 2022 07:31 AM in response to Badunit

Hey Badunit! I almost fell off my chair when I saw that this actually works. I am ecstatic that this solution works; I was on the edge of giving up on the idea of having static date & time in a cell, despite it being badly needed for my use case. What a shame there are so many people all over the place trying to figure out this issue. As per my reply to Barry's post in this thread, this is an item that is a big deal for so many people; I think Apple really needs to find a way to make it more front and centre. I had already researched this some months ago and yesterday prior to creating this post I had searched for 90 minutes and found mainly a big pile of threads across all types of internet forums with Apple users trying to find a solution to this simple issue. It's great that you pointed it out to me and now I can use it and hopefully other users who take the time to search here will find it; but how many users across the globe will not know to look here and will end up wasting a ton of time trying to find out how to do this, and how many users will think it just can't be done, maybe causing some to use G Sheets or MS Excel? It' such a critical thing and so widely used, it's an item that perplexes me... how or why is it that Apple has not just put this in a menu item or had some kind of front-and-centre way for users to realize it is there? Maybe a sub-menu of date and time options under the "Insert" menu? As I mentioned to Barry if you are ever in communication with the software engineers perhaps you can pass on these thoughts. I've already given Feedback on their portal under the Numbers for Mac, but over the last 7 years of giving feedback I don't have much hope that feedback given is actually read and implemented because I have informed them of various glitches over the years and those are still there so I think either the feedback portal is just a black hole or they are not prioritizing the user experience in their software.

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Insert date and time as a static (non updating) entry in a single cell with a simple keyboard shortcut

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