There is nothing about file date/time stamps that can reliably be used to determine when a file was first created. If you download a file from an email attachment, for example, it typically will be given the current date/time stamp. This dating is under the control of the operating system, not Word.

Word does store some date-based metadata about files of its own, such as the CreationDate, PrintDate and SaveDate, but these are all easily changed. A CREATEDATE field initially shows when a document was created (according to the PC's clock - that too can be changed). After that, though, it can be re-set to the current date & time by saving the file via Save As. Obviously, if it was last printed before the Save As occurred, a PRINTDATE field would show an earlier date than a CREATEDATE field. In any event, the PrintDate data only update if the file is re-saved after printing.

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Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]