# Off Topic > Tips and Tutorials >  >  Time Stamping a Cell Entry

## squiggler47

I just saw this article, and learned a new trick! (see link at bottom of page for full article)


The sheet produces a timestamp for a cell, using a formula similar to the one below :--

=IF(C3="","",IF(C3="",D3,NOW()))

Where c3 is the cell to timestamp and d3 is the cell containing this formula!

for this to work Iterative calculation has to be turned on!
But it will record the last change of the cell to the left and not change on re-calculation, only on re-entery!



http://chandoo.org/wp/2009/06/25/tod...racking-tools/

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## DonkeyOte

Hi squiggler, yes this is a well known trick and is very useful for people on Mac 2008 (and anyone else unable to support VBA), however, I think the references in the example are slightly awry, ie the formula resides in D3 and the entry to invoke the stamp is made in C3:

D3: =IF(C3="","",IF(D3="",NOW(),D3))

The only drawback of this approach when compared to say a classic VBA change event is that it is not updated with changes unless the source (C3) is first cleared, (ie a -> b -> c won't update the time stamp whereas a -> blank -> b -> blank -> c would do).

The first formula listed:

D3: =IF(C3="","",IF(C3="",D3,NOW()))

will if C3 is not blank continuously update the datetime stamp in D3 every time XL recalculates.

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## squiggler47

Yes you are correct, I mistyped the formula!

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## squiggler47

Lol, I shouldnt learn new techniques 

Still I tried a few things, for a sheet I did, which it would be nice to track cell changes!

Here is the result!

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