MS Access Now() Function

The Now() function in MS Access retrieves the current date and time from the computer's system clock. It's a simple yet very useful function for recording timestamps, tracking events, or performing time-related calculations within your Access database.

Now(): Definition and Usage

Now() is frequently used to add a timestamp to database records, create logs of activities, or calculate durations between events. The exact format of the date and time will depend on your system's regional settings.

Syntax

The Now() function is very straightforward; it doesn't take any arguments:

Syntax

Now()

Parameter Values

The Now() function doesn't require any parameters.

Example

Retrieving the Current Date and Time

This example shows how to use Now() in a query to display the current date and time alongside customer names from a 'Customers' table (assuming a table named 'Customers' with a 'CustomerName' column exists).

Syntax

SELECT CustomerName, Now() AS CurrentDateTime
FROM Customers;
Output

CustomerName | CurrentDateTime
--------------------------------
(Customer names) | (Current date and time - will vary)
**Note:** The specific format of the `CurrentDateTime` output will depend on your system's regional settings. The `(Customer names)` and `(Current date and time - will vary)` indicate the general structure of the output; the actual customer names and the current datetime will be displayed when you run the query.