Dates Everywhere: Stop Looking Up the Calendar
How often do you stop mid-sentence to work out a date? One week from today, the first of next month, yesterday for a backdated note. ActiveWords 5 puts date math right where you're already working, so the correct date appears the moment you need it.
In the ActionPad
Turn on Date Calculations in Options → ActionPad, then open the ActionPad, type a date expression, and press Enter. The result is inserted wherever your cursor is. Use the single-letter units d, w, m, and y, with no spaces:
today+1w– One week from todaytoday+1m– One month from todaytoday-1d– Yesterdaytoday+1y– One year from today
Choose Short date or Long date on the same tab, and that format is used everywhere dates are inserted.
Inside your Actions
The same date expressions work inside Substitute Text and Substitute Content actions, so you can build them into templates. A letter header with today, a follow-up note that always says today+1w, a report stamped with yesterday's date. Trigger the Word and ActiveWords fills in the right date automatically. The Wizard can help you insert the correct syntax if you'd rather not type it by hand.
Dig deeper in the Date Calculations FAQ and Date Math in Actions FAQ. New to ActiveWords 5? Read the Version 5 announcement or download the free trial.
