Editing Template:Use dmy dates/doc (section)

=== Usage ===
To promote consistent date formatting, place this template with other maintenance tags near the top of articles that use the <code>d&nbsp;mmmm&nbsp;yyyy</code> [[date format]] (below hatnotes, but above infoboxes, as  per the [[Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Lead section#Elements|Manual of Style]]). The parameter <code>|date=</code> is intended to track the most recent month and year in which an editor or [[WP:bot|bot]] checked the article for inconsistent date formatting and, if any inconsistencies were found, fixed them to comply with this template's date formatting preference. 

Wikipedia articles that use <code>d&nbsp;mmmm&nbsp;yyyy</code> dates, either because of the [[MOS:DATERET|first main contributor]] rule or [[WP:TIES|close national ties]] (see [[Wikipedia:MOSNUM|MOSNUM]]), are systematically tagged with {{Tl|Use dmy dates}} over time. The template is visible only in edit mode.

The template is useful to the editors to quickly know which date format is to be used when adding new dates into an article. It also facilitates article maintenance by enabling [[WP:bots|bots]] to recognise use of this format, and by adding the article to the [[WP:hidden category|hidden category]] [[:Category:Use dmy dates|Use dmy dates]].

'''Use of this template is part of a continuing effort to monitor the date formats used in articles, to assist in maintaining consistent formatting within an article. It is ''not'' a temporary "cleanup" template. Therefore, do not remove the template without valid reason, such as a determination that the article uses or should use a different date format.'''

After an article is tagged, periodic script or bot runs clean up formats, correcting any new introductions since the bot's last visit, and '''updating the tracking date parameter''' in the {{Tl|Use dmy dates}} template.

The dmy and mdy templates have almost always been used to indicate date styles in the body of the articles; although it ''may'' also indicate the flavour of dates in reference sections or parts thereof. Therefore, this template notice ought to be read in conjunction with the blurb at [[Wikipedia:Date formattings]]. [[User:Ohconfucius/script/MOSNUM dates|MOSNUM script documentation]] may also be relevant to those interested.

When a citation style does not expect differing date formats, it is permissible to normalize publication dates to the article body text date format, and access/archive dates to either, with date consistency being preferred (see [[MOS:DATEUNIFY]]).

This template is intended for use in articles. It can be used on a template page in order to format citation dates on the template page itself, but it must be enclosed in {{tag|noinclude}} tags so that it is not transcluded into articles or other pages.