SharePoint Document Issues

How to Fix Blank SharePoint Date and Time Default Values

Muhammad Talha Sep 30, 2026 868 views

Question details

Users need to resolve an issue where SharePoint list columns configured to display today's date automatically remain entirely blank.

How to Fix Blank SharePoint Date and Time Default Values

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Creating or managing SharePoint lists that rely on default date and time values or calculated formulas.
Observed behavior: List columns set to default to today's date remain blank upon item creation, and calculated values using the =NOW() function also fail to populate.

Before you start

Before making configuration changes, determine whether this problem is happening in just one specific list or across multiple lists, as this will help identify if the issue is a local corruption or a broader server-side disruption.

Solution 1Recommended

Verify Site and User Regional Settings

Check and correct regional and time-zone settings in SharePoint and Microsoft 365, which are common causes for date rendering failures.

Mismatches between the SharePoint site's regional settings and the user's personal Microsoft 365 profile time zone can prevent default dates from displaying correctly.

Access Site Settings

Click the gear icon in the top right corner of your SharePoint site, select 'Site information', and then click 'View all site settings'.

Check Regional Settings

Under the 'Site Administration' section, click 'Regional settings' and ensure the correct time zone, locale, and calendar type are selected for your region.

Verify User Profile Settings

Navigate to your personal Microsoft 365 account settings (via Delve or your profile picture menu) and confirm your personal language and time zone preferences align with the site settings.

Sync Delay: Changes to regional settings may take a few minutes to propagate across the SharePoint environment. Refresh the list page after applying changes.

Solution 2

Test a New Date and Time Column

Determine if the issue is caused by a corrupted list or column configuration by isolating the failure.

Solution 3

Report Widespread Issues in Microsoft 365 Admin Center

If the problem impacts multiple lists or sites, it is likely a backend service issue that requires Microsoft support.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the =TODAY() or =NOW() function returning a blank value in SharePoint?

This commonly occurs due to mismatched regional settings between the SharePoint site and the user profile. Alternatively, it can be triggered by a temporary backend service disruption on Microsoft's servers that prevents calculated column values from rendering.

Can a corrupted SharePoint list cause default dates to stop working?

Yes. Over time or after extensive modifications, a specific list's column configuration can become corrupted. Testing a brand-new date and time column in the same list is the best way to determine if the issue is localized to that specific column.

How do I check if SharePoint is experiencing a global service outage?

Microsoft 365 Administrators can check the Service Health dashboard inside the Microsoft 365 admin center. Widespread backend issues affecting lists, calculated formulas, and date formatting are typically posted there as active service incidents.

Document & File Issues