Brain Teaser #14: Automate Inserting Formatted Dates in MS-Word

Solution

The solution is to create a macro to insert the date in the format of your choice and add it to the Quick Access Toolbar.

In MS-Word:

• On the Developer tab, click on 'Record Macro' in the Code group
  (If the Developer tab isn't displayed, click on File > Options > Customize Ribbon, and Check 'Developer tab')
• Type in a name like 'Insert_Date' for the macro (no quotes)
• In the Record macro dialog box, click on 'Assign macro to Button'
• In 'Customize Quick Access Toolbar', select the macro
• Click the 'Add >>' button
• Click Ok
  (Recording begins...)
• Click on the Insert tab
• In the 'Text' group, click on 'Date & Time'
• Find the format you want and double-click it
• Optionally, press Enter twice to include space after the date
• Click on Developer tab
• In the Code group, click on 'Stop recording'

The macro icon you selected appears on the Quick Access Toolbar. In any location of any document, click the macro icon to insert the date. Alternativly you could assign the macro to a keyboard shortcut

These same steps can be used to record any other macro and assign it to the QAT.