What is Today’s Date in Numbers?
History and Usage of the “mm-dd-yyyy” Date Format
The mm-dd-yyyy date format spread out mainly in the United States and North America, possessing historical significance and practical use in everyday communication and official documentation. According to this format, the month needs to appear first, followed by the day and then the year, following the writing conventions for American English.
How to Convert YYYY-MM-DD to MM/DD/YYYY in Excel
To convert a date format from YYYY-MM-DD
to MM/DD/YYYY
in Excel, follow these steps:
- Select the cells containing the dates.
- Go to the Home tab and click on “Number Format” in the Number group.
- Choose “Custom” from the drop-down menu.
- In the Type field, enter
MM/DD/YYYY
. - Click OK to apply the new format.
This method ensures your dates are displayed in the desired format without altering the underlying data.
Using an Excel Formula
If your dates are stored as text, use this formula:
=Today()
Here, replace A1
with the cell containing the YYYY-MM-DD
text. This will convert the format to MM/DD/YYYY
.
Key Points
Origins and Standardization: The mm-dd-yyyy format originated out of regional conventions in North America that emphasized clarity and ease of communication.
Cultural and Practical Considerations: Due to its simplicity, the format finds widespread adoption, and dates are clearly represented in written and digital formats across applications.
Digital and Global Context: Though international standards, such as ISO 8601 use the yyyy-mm-dd format, American acceptance of mm-dd-yyyy has sunk deep into both cultural and digital contexts.