Fix Word Online Showing Wrong SharePoint Approval Date
Question details
Users experience a discrepancy where SharePoint approval dates inserted via Word Quick Parts show up one day earlier in Word Online compared to the desktop app.
- Product
- Microsoft Word Online, SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Viewing document properties and SharePoint approval dates through Quick Parts within the web-based version of Microsoft Word.
- Observed behavior
- The approval date displays correctly in the Word desktop application but renders exactly one day earlier when the document is opened in Word Online.
Verify your SharePoint site's regional time zone settings and ensure your computer's system time matches, as timezone discrepancies often contribute to web application date shifting.
Use Power Automate to Format the Date as Static Text
Since Word Online lacks a built-in time zone adjustment for Quick Parts, using Power Automate to convert the dynamic date into a fixed text string prevents it from shifting.
SharePoint stores dates in UTC, and Word Online renders them based on server or browser time zones, frequently causing a one-day shift depending on your region. Converting the date to a static text column stops this dynamic rendering and forces Word Online to display the exact text value.
Navigate to your SharePoint document library settings and create a new column of type 'Single line of text'. Name it something like 'Approval Date Text'.
Open Power Automate and create an automated flow triggered by 'When a file is created or modified (properties only)'.
Add the 'Convert time zone' or 'Format datetime' action to convert the system's approval date from UTC into your desired local time zone format (e.g., MM/dd/yyyy).
Add an 'Update file properties' action. Map the output of your formatted date string into the newly created 'Approval Date Text' column.
Open your Word document, remove the old dynamic date Quick Part, and insert the Quick Part linked to your new 'Approval Date Text' column.
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- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and click the free download button for your operating system.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Word Online change the date by one day?
SharePoint stores date and time values in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Word Online dynamically interprets these UTC values based on browser or server regional settings. If your local time zone is behind UTC, this conversion can shift the date backwards by one day.
Can I fix this by changing my SharePoint regional settings?
While ensuring your SharePoint site's regional settings match your local time zone is a recommended best practice, it typically does not resolve this specific Quick Parts rendering issue in Word Online due to how the web application natively handles UTC conversion.
Does this date shift issue happen in the Word desktop application?
No, the Word desktop application generally respects your local computer's system time zone and correctly displays the SharePoint approval date via Quick Parts without shifting it by a day.
