# Last Modified Field in Baserow - Automatic Row Timestamps

> Track exactly when a row last changed: see what counts as a user edit, what formulas and links do differently, and how to surface updates from linked tables.

Source: https://opennix.org/en/docs/baserow/field-types/last-modified-field/


The Last modified field is an automatic, read-only field that stamps a row with the exact date and time of its most recent user-made change. This article covers what the field is and how it behaves, how to add it to a table, which actions trigger a timestamp update and which do not, and how to work around that limitation with a lookup and a formula when you need to track changes in linked tables.

![Last modified field in Baserow](/images/baserow/field-types/last-modified-field-overview.jpg)

## What is the Last modified field

The Last modified field is an automatic, non-editable field that shows the date and time a row was last edited by a user.

When a [new row is created](/docs/baserow/rows/how-to-make-new-rows/), its Last modified value matches its [Created on](/docs/baserow/field-types/date-and-time-fields/) value. This timestamp updates every time a user edits any editable field in that row.

One behavior worth noting: a row's Last modified value never rolls back. If you edit a cell and then use Undo, the Last modified time reflects the moment of the Undo action, not the time before the edit.

## How to add a Last modified field

### Add the field

1. In your table, [add a new field](/docs/baserow/fields/adding-a-field/).
2. Select **Last modified** from the field type list.
3. Name the field (for example, "Last update").
4. Click **Create**.

By default, this field tracks changes made to *any* editable field in the row.

You can restrict the field so that it only shows the most recent time a particular field was modified.

## Tracking modification times on computed fields

The Last modified field type and the date functions available in formulas let you track when a record was last edited. It is important to understand, though, that both tools only track **direct user actions**.

### What triggers a Last modified update

- Typing manually into a cell (text, number, and other field types).
- Selecting an option (single select, multiple select).
- **Adding or removing** a row from a Link to table field.

### What does not trigger an update

- **Formulas:** if a formula recalculates - for example `today()` rolls over to the next day, or `{Unit Price} * {Quantity}` updates - the Last modified field will **not** change.
- **Linked data changes:** if you modify data inside a linked record (say, a generic Status field in a linked Tasks table), the Last modified timestamp on the current row will **not** update.

The Last modified field tracks *who* touched the row and *when*. Passive changes that Baserow calculates in the background do not count as user edits.

### Workaround: tracking changes in linked records

If you need to see the last modified time of a row *or* any of its linked data, a single Last modified field is not enough on its own. Instead, combine a [lookup field](/docs/baserow/field-types/lookup-field/) with a [formula field](/docs/baserow/formula/understanding-formulas/).

**Scenario:** you have a Projects table linked to a Tasks table through a [link to table field](/docs/baserow/field-types/link-to-table-field/). You want the Project to show as "Updated" whenever a linked Task is modified.

#### Step 1: track time in the source table

1. Go to the linked table (for example, Tasks).
2. Create a new field with the type **Last modified**.
3. Name it "Task last modified".

#### Step 2: expose that time in your main table

1. Go to your main table (for example, Projects).
2. Create a [lookup field](/docs/baserow/field-types/lookup-field/).
3. Point it at the Tasks table and select the "Task last modified" field you just created.
4. Name this field "Lookup: task modified".

#### Step 3: compare the dates with a formula

Create a new formula field in the Projects table to compare the project's own edit time against the task's edit time. The formula returns whichever date is more recent.

**The formula:**

```
if(
    date_diff('s', field('Last modified'), field('Lookup: Task Modified')) < 0,
    field('Lookup: Task Modified'),
    field('Last modified')
)
```

**How this works:**

- The `date_diff` function calculates the difference in seconds between the local edit and the linked edit.
- The `if` statement checks which date is more recent.
- The formula displays whichever date is newest, giving you a true last-modified timestamp.

## Frequently asked questions

**What's the difference between Last modified and Last modified by?** They work together: Last modified tells you *when* the last edit happened (the date and time), while [Last modified by](/docs/baserow/field-types/last-modified-by-field/) tells you *who* made the last edit.

**What's the difference between Last modified and Created on?** [Created on](/docs/baserow/field-types/date-and-time-fields/) is set once when the row is created and never changes. Last modified updates every time the row is edited.

**Do formula fields or other computed fields trigger an update?** No. The Last modified field tracks changes made directly by a user. It does not track automatic changes in computed fields such as [formulas](/docs/baserow/formula/understanding-formulas/), [lookups](/docs/baserow/field-types/lookup-field/), or [rollups](/docs/baserow/field-types/rollup-field/) that update because their underlying data changed.

**Does a Link to table field trigger an update?** This is a special case. If you add or remove a link from a [link to table field](/docs/baserow/field-types/link-to-table-field/), that counts as a user edit and **will** trigger an update. If the data *inside* the linked row changes instead - for example, the linked record's name is edited in its own table - that does not count as an edit to the current row and **will not** trigger an update.

## What's next

To see who made the last edit rather than just when it happened, read [Last Modified By Field](/docs/baserow/field-types/last-modified-by-field/). To understand every date field type and how timezones affect the values you see, check [Baserow Date Field](/docs/baserow/field-types/date-and-time-fields/) and [Working with Timezones](/docs/baserow/fields/working-with-timezones/).