Template Issues

How to Stop an Excel Calendar Template from Changing 2022 to 2023

Anum Mushtaq Oct 20, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to prevent an Excel calendar template from automatically changing its year to 2023 and manually set it back to a previous year like 2022 or 2021.

How to Stop an Excel Calendar Template from Changing Years

Product: Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Managing an automated 12-month calendar template.
Observed behavior: The calendar template automatically updates to the current year (2023), overriding the intended past year (2021 or 2022).

Before you start

Ensure your Excel workbook is unprotected so you can freely edit the year cells, and verify that your formula calculation options are set to automatic.

Solution 1Recommended

Manually Change the Calendar Year Cell

Fix the calendar by manually setting the base year in the January worksheet, which will cascade the date changes to all other months.

Excel calendar templates often use formulas like =YEAR(TODAY()) in their primary year cell, causing them to automatically jump to the current year upon opening. Replacing this formula with a static value will stop the automatic year changes.

Locate the primary year cell

Open the affected calendar workbook in Excel and navigate to the January worksheet by clicking the 'January' tab at the bottom of the window. Locate the designated year cell, which is typically cell C2.

Enter the static year

Click on cell C2, type '2022' (or '2021' for a 2021 calendar) directly into the cell, and press Enter to overwrite the existing automatic formula.

Verify automatic calculation

Check if the dates recalculate correctly across all twelve months. If the dates do not update, go to the 'Formulas' tab on the top ribbon, click on 'Calculation Options', and ensure 'Automatic' is selected.

Formula Overwritten: By manually typing a specific year, you have successfully removed the volatile TODAY() formula. The template will now remain on the year you typed permanently.

Manage Calendar Templates

Easily Manage Calendar Templates with WPS Office

WPS Office Spreadsheet provides a vast library of customizable calendar templates and seamless formula calculation to keep your dates perfectly aligned without unwanted automatic year shifts.

1. Access the Template Library: Open WPS Spreadsheet and click on 'New' to browse the extensive template library.
2. Search for Calendars: Type 'Calendar' into the search bar and select a fully customizable 12-month calendar template.
3. Set the Desired Year: Navigate to the designated year cell (usually in the January sheet) and enter your specific year manually.
4. Automatic Population: Allow WPS Spreadsheet to instantly calculate and populate the correct dates across all monthly sheets seamlessly.

Huge built-in library of free, customizable calendar templates.Full compatibility with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) formulas and date formats.Intuitive interface to easily manage formulas and automatic calculations.Lightweight software that loads heavy template workbooks in seconds.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Excel calendar template change dates automatically?

Many Excel calendar templates use a formula like =YEAR(TODAY()) in the designated year cell. This causes the calendar to automatically update to the current year whenever you open it. Manually typing a static year over this formula stops the automatic updates.

How do I turn on automatic calculation in Excel if the calendar dates don't update?

Go to the 'Formulas' tab on the ribbon, find the 'Calculation' group, click 'Calculation Options', and select 'Automatic'. This ensures the template formulas recalculate immediately when you change the year cell.

Can I use the same calendar template for leap years?

Yes. Well-designed 12-month calendar templates use the DATE function to generate days. This function automatically accounts for leap years and will adjust February to 29 days when you enter a leap year in the primary year cell.

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