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How to add a dynamic line based on the current date in Excel?

Author Sun Last modified

If you have a worksheet with rows of dates and want to insert a line that automatically highlights the current date, Excel provides a simple way to achieve this. By using the Conditional Formatting feature, you can set up a dynamic rule that updates the line's position each day when the workbook is opened. This guide will show you how to create this functionality step by step.
A screenshot of a worksheet with rows of dates, showing the target area for inserting a line based on the current date

Insert a line for the current date

Insert a line for the current date

To insert a line next to the current date in a cell, you can apply the "Conditional Formatting" function.

1. Select the range you want to insert line, and click "Home" > "Conditional Formatting" > "New Rule". See screenshot:
A screenshot of the Conditional Formatting menu in Excel, highlighting the New Rule option

2. In the "New Formatting Rule" dialog, select "Use a formula to determine which cells to format", and type this formula =IF(B$1=TODAY(),TRUE, FALSE) to the "Format values where this formula is true" text box. Click "Format" to go to the "Format Cells" dialog, under "Border" tab, specify the line as you need. See screenshot:
A screenshot of the New Formatting Rule dialog in Excel with a formula to highlight the current date

3. Click "OK". A dividing line will be automatically inserted to the right of the current date cell and will be dynamically updated each time the workbook is opened.
A screenshot of an Excel worksheet showing the line inserted next to the current date cell

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