Inserting the current date or other variables into a field

You can insert the current date, time or user name into a field.

After you insert one of these values into a field, that value doesn't change unless you change it. To display a value that updates, place a date, time, or user name symbol on the layout. See Inserting the date, page number, or other variable onto a layout.

To insert the current date, time, or user name into a field:

  1. In Browse mode, click the field.
  2. From the Insert menu, choose one of the following menu items:
    • Current Date to insert the current date in a date, number, text, or timestamp field.
    • Current Time to insert the current time in a time, number, or text field. (You can also choose Current Time to insert the current date and time in a timestamp field.)
    • Current User Name to insert the current user name as specified in preferences. (To change the user name value, see Setting general preferences.)

Notes 

  • FileMaker Pro can automatically enter values such as dates and times into fields when a record is created or updated. See Defining automatic data entry. If you need to track who creates or updates records in a file protected with accounts, a more secure and accurate method is to automatically enter the account name, because any user can easily change the user name in preferences.
  • The current date and time come from the operating system running FileMaker Pro.

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