There are numerous ways to format dates. We have a flexible system that is able to accommodate most date formats. To learn how to code localized dates in other languages, check out the Localization: Translating Your Code article.
Today's Date
The variable {todaysDate} will always generate the current date. For the purposes of this Help Article, let's assume today is (and always will be) January 5, 2023.
Using the time Function
In order to format the date, we will be using the time function. We can simply use this function without any additional formatting to see the date in its default YYYY-MM-DD format.
| Input | {todaysDate | time} |
| Output | 2023-01-05 |
Syntax
{dateVariable | time:'dateElements'}
Using Date Elements
To accommodate a flexible range of date formats, we can also format the date by adding date elements to the code enclosed in 'single quotes':
| Syntax | Description | Appearance |
| M |
Month number |
1,2…11,12 |
| MM |
Month number with leading 0 |
01, 02…11,12 |
| MMM |
Abbreviated month to 3 letters |
Jan, Feb…Nov, Dec |
| MMMM |
Full month name |
January, February…November, December |
| YY |
Abbreviated year to last 2 digits |
90, 91…19, 20 |
| YYYY |
Full year |
1990, 1991…2019, 2020 |
| D |
Day number |
1, 2…30, 31 |
| DD |
Day number with leading 0 |
01, 02…30, 31 |
| dddd |
Day of the week |
Monday, Tuesday…Saturday, Sunday |
| Do |
Ordinal day |
1st, 2nd…30th, 31st |
| DDD |
Day of the year |
1, 2, 3…364, 365 |
| DDDo |
Ordinal day of the year |
1st, 2nd…364th, 365th |
NOTE: The date syntax is case sensitive. This means that you must make sure that the formatting is upper or lowercase in accordance with the table above.
Adding Non-Date Elements
You can insert additional words within the time function using [square brackets] within the same 'single quotes' that contain the date elements. Normal punctuation does not require [square brackets].
| Input | Output |
| {todaysDate | time} | 2023-01-05 |
| {incorporationDate | time:'dddd [the] Do [of] MMM'} | Saturday the 29th of Jun |
| {startDate | time:'Do [day of] MMMM, YYYY'} | 19th day of October, 2022 |