SharePoint list default value calculated value

Date and time fields can have a default value of Today or Now that populates if you dont enter another value in the field before saving an item. In your date/time column settings:

• If you choose type Date only youll get the current date
• If you choose Date and time youll get the current date and time

You can instead check the box for Use calculated value and use =Now[] as the formula to return the exact same result. However, the benefit/difference of using the calculated option with =Now[] instead of the Todays date option is that if your users change from Date only to Date and time type down the road, =Now[] will include both date and time values already. It doesnt hurt to have time included and not displayed.

Finally, you can use the calculated value option to do true calculations for things like Due date or Reminder where you use a formula like:

• =Now[]+7 is exactly a week from the current date and time
• =Now[]+[1/24*n] where youll replace n with a number of hours from the current time

Note that these values will be static, meaning once the date/time populates, it doesnt update when you edit the item. Its merely a default value inserted upon creation if you dont manually enter a different value.

Also, when using Now[] with hourly calculations youll want to double-check your time zone settings [Site settings > regional settings] and adjust your formulas accordingly if youre unable to identify a fix.

If just using Date only type, you can instead use =Today[] and not worry about time zone so much unless your calculations will involve units less than one day.

Related topics:

If you need a live always-updated value regardless of items being modified, youll need to create a separate Today column using Microsoft Flow or SharePoint Designer:

• Use Microsoft Flow to create a today column for use in SharePoint list calculations
• Creating a Today column in SharePoint that always gives todays date[SPD]

This post also includes ideas for calculations using todays date.

• Date calculations using Today in SharePoint lists for years of service, days without incident, etc. [includes using blank date values]