You track invoices about to fall due and every morning you change the reference date by hand to see which ones are late. One day you forget, and the report you send shows week-old data.
How to use Today and Weekday Formula step by step
1. Choose what you need
Today’s date, the time, the weekday or month name, the week number, whether it is a weekend, today plus N days, the days left or the next Monday.
2. Give the cell
If the formula starts from a date, type the cell holding it. Those that use only today’s date ask for no cell.
3. Copy the formula
Paste it into your sheet. If you see a number like 46315 instead of a date, give the cell date format.
The Step Count: Traditional Friction vs. KorexTools
Updating the reference date every day (4 steps)
- Open the file.
- Type today’s date by hand.
- Check the formulas use it.
- Repeat the next day.
With the KorexTools “Today and Weekday Formula” builder (3 steps)
- You choose what you want to know.
- You give the date cell if needed.
- You copy the formula and apply the format.
Today’s date in Excel is not a value you type, it is a formula that recalculates
TODAY returns the current date and NOW the date with the time. Neither takes arguments and both recalculate every time you open the file or change something, so a due date or an age worked out with them stays current by itself. The flip side is that yesterday’s date stored with TODAY is no longer right tomorrow.
To get the name of the day or month you use TEXT with the format dddd or mmmm, and the language of the answer is your Excel’s. WEEKDAY gives the day as a number, and with mode two it starts on Monday, which makes weekends easy to catch. WEEKNUM numbers the weeks of the year.
Which formula to use
- •Flag due dates and deadlines: TODAY.
- •Stamp an exact time: NOW, which changes on recalculation.
- •Write the weekday name: TEXT with dddd.
- •Catch weekends: WEEKDAY with mode two.
With 14 October 2026 in A2
| Question | Formula | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Weekday name | =TEXT(A2,"dddd") | Wednesday |
| Day number (Monday = 1) | =WEEKDAY(A2,2) | 3 |
| Days left from today | =A2-TODAY() | A number that drops daily |
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
- ⚠️Using TODAY in an “issue date” column that should stay fixed.
- ⚠️Giving date format to the result of subtracting dates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does TODAY change by itself?
Because TODAY is volatile: it recalculates when you open the workbook or edit any cell. To freeze the current date in a cell, use the Ctrl and semicolon shortcut.
How do I show the weekday in my language?
With the weekday name option, which uses TEXT and returns the name in your Excel’s language. If the file opens in another language, the name will come out in that one.
How do I know how many days are left until a date?
Subtract TODAY from the cell holding the due date. Give the result cell number format, because Excel may display it as a date and you would see an odd value.
What I would do if I were in your shoes
«A date that updates itself is an advantage in a due date and a bug in a record.» — DataKorex Engineering Team.