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How to Create a Calculation for Today’s Date

Learn how to create a calculation for today’s date in Smarter Drafter Pro.

In Smarter Drafter, creating a calculation for today's date is a simple and effective way to automatically insert the current date into your form. This is particularly useful for deadlines, contracts, or any document that needs to include the date the form is filled out. This guide will show you how to create a calculation for today’s date.

Instructions

1. Navigate to Your Form

  • Open the form where you want to create the calculation for today’s date.

2. Create a New Field

  • Click on Add Field to create a new field. This will hold the calculated result (today's date).

3. Choose the Field Type

  • For this calculation, select the Date field type to hold the output as a date.

4. Set Field Properties

  • Fill in the necessary properties for the field, such as the field name. If you want the user to see the calculated date, set the field to Read-Only. If you want to keep the date hidden from the user, set it to Hidden.

5. Select the Calculation Tab

  • In the field properties, click on the Calculation tab to open the Calculation Builder tool.

6. Click Start Here

  • Click the Start Here button to open the Calculation Builder tool. This tool will help you define the calculation expression.

7. Choose Date Calculation Type

  • In the Calculation Builder, select Date as the data type, and choose Today as the calculation type. This will automatically insert the current date whenever the form is filled out.

8. Insert the Expression

  • The expression for today's date will look like this: Today()
  • This expression will always return the current date when the form is completed

9. Save the Field

  • After inserting the expression, click Save to apply the calculation. The field will now display today’s date when the form is filled out.

10. Test the Date Calculation

  • Test the form by previewing it or filling it out. Ensure that the field correctly displays today's date, and that it updates whenever the form is accessed.

Common Issues & Solutions

  • Issue: The calculated date is not displaying correctly

  • Solution: Ensure that the Today() function is used correctly in the calculation. The expression should be Today(), and the field should be set to display the date in the correct format. If the field is hidden, the date will still be calculated but not shown to the user.