Create Custom Calendars in Excel and Word

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wished I could peek at a calendar while working in Excel to verify a date or check the timing of some transaction. Sure, I can switch to Outlook for that, but I figured since I can input a date with two keystrokes, Excel should be able to give me a whole calendar with another keystroke or two.

Yes, you can create such custom calendars, but it will take a bit more than a few keystrokes. Here are the steps:

For Excel 2003, place your cursor where you want the calendar to appear and click on Insert, Object and then cursor down to Calendar Control 11.0 and click on OK (see screenshot below).

That opens the calendar to the current date and month (see screenshot below). To set a different date, month or year, click on the appropriate arrows in the calendar. If that doesn’t work in your copy of XP, click on the drawing tools icon (pencil, triangle and ruler) in the accompanying control box and then select the dates.

In Excel 2007, first be sure the Developer tab is open on the Ribbon. If it isn’t, click on the Office button (upper, left-hand corner), then on Excel Options (bottom of that screen) and under Top Options for working with Excel place a check next to Show Developer tab in the Ribbon.

On the Developer tab, click on Insert, ActiveX Controls, and then on the icon of crossed tools (see the hammer and wrench on the screenshot below).

That opens the More Controls menu, where you can select Calendar Control 12.0 and click on OK.

Then click on the cell where you want the calendar to appear. Finally, press the Design Mode button in the Ribbon to adjust the dates.

You also can add a similar calendar in Word. In the 2003 version, click on Insert, Object and select the Create New tab and Calendar Control 11.0 (see screenshot below).

Then click on OK, and the calendar of the current month appears next to a box with multiple control buttons (see screenshots below).

By clicking on the icon in the upper left corner of the control box (a pencil, ruler and triangle), you can change the date in that month. And by clicking on the inverted arrows on the calendar, you can change the month and the year. When you’ve settled on the calendar image, click the icon again (see screenshot below, left).

In Word 2007, go to the Developer tab, the Controls box, Legacy Forms and then, under ActiveX Controls, click on the icon of the crossed tools (see screenshot above, right).