TODAY and NOW in Google Sheets - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

📊 Formula Result

intermediate

What is the output of =TODAY() if today is 2024-06-15?

Assuming the current date is June 15, 2024, what will the formula =TODAY() display in a Google Sheets cell?

Google Sheets

=TODAY()

A 2024-06-15

B The current time including hours and minutes

C 06/15/2024 12:00 PM

D 2024-06-15 00:00:00

💡 Hint

Remember, TODAY() returns only the date part without time.

The =TODAY() function returns the current date only, without any time information. So it shows 2024-06-15 if that is the current date.

📊 Formula Result

intermediate

What does =NOW() show in Google Sheets?

If you enter =NOW() in a cell, what kind of value will it display?

Google Sheets

=NOW()

A The current date and time including hours and minutes

B Only the current date without time

C Only the current time without date

D The date and time of the last sheet edit

💡 Hint

Think about what NOW() means in real life: the exact moment you look at the clock.

The =NOW() function returns the current date and time, including hours and minutes, updating every time the sheet recalculates.

❓ Function Choice

advanced

Which formula updates the time every time the sheet recalculates?

You want a cell to always show the current time that updates automatically. Which formula should you use?

A =TIME()

B =TODAY()

C =NOW()

D =DATE()

💡 Hint

TODAY() only updates the date, not the time.

=NOW() returns the current date and time and updates whenever the sheet recalculates. =TODAY() only updates the date. =TIME() and =DATE() require arguments and do not update automatically.

🎯 Scenario

advanced

Calculate days passed since a date using TODAY()

You have a date in cell A1: 2024-01-01. Which formula correctly calculates how many days have passed from that date until today?

A =DATEDIF(A1, NOW(), "M")

B =NOW() - A1

C =A1 - TODAY()

D =TODAY() - A1

💡 Hint

Remember that subtracting dates gives the number of days between them.

=TODAY() - A1 subtracts the past date from today’s date, giving the number of days passed. =NOW() includes time, which can cause decimals. =DATEDIF with "M" returns months, not days.

❓ data_analysis

expert

Analyze formula behavior with volatile functions TODAY() and NOW()

You have a sheet with these formulas in cells:

A1: =TODAY()
B1: =NOW()

After opening the sheet at 9:00 AM and then again at 3:00 PM the same day, what will happen to the values in A1 and B1?

A A1 updates to the new time; B1 stays the same

B A1 stays the same; B1 updates to the new current time

C Both A1 and B1 stay the same as when the sheet was first opened

D Both A1 and B1 update to the new current date and time

💡 Hint

TODAY() changes only when the date changes, NOW() updates with time.

=TODAY() returns the current date and only changes when the date changes (midnight). =NOW() returns current date and time and updates whenever the sheet recalculates or is opened.