Date and time expression tokens
How the `now` namespace works in `{{…}}` fields: fixed UTC helpers, ISO timestamps, and formula-style relative offsets for past and future instants.
Where this applies
These tokens live under the {{now.*}} namespace in the same resolution context as other expression variables. They are available anywhere the editor offers tag autocomplete: prompts, webhook URLs, gate values, and fields such as Received since / Received before on the Search email step when Advanced filters are enabled.
For the full list of namespaces ({{input.*}}, {{global.*}}, and when each resolves), start with Expression variables.
Namespaces at a glance
Date-related content in workflows almost always uses {{now.*}} for the runner clock, plus any literal or {{input.*}} value you already computed upstream. This page covers only now; other prefixes are unchanged.
| Namespace | Role for dates | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| now | Single resolution instant in UTC; all values below are derived from that instant. | Boundaries for IMAP search, filenames, audit text, or comparisons in gate rules. |
| input | Predecessor output (or trigger payload on the entry node): not auto-dates unless your prior step emits them. | Pass an ISO string from an earlier step instead of a `now` token when the clock should come from data. |
| trigger_inputs | Original invoke payload for the run. | Use when the schedule or client supplied explicit from/to strings. |
Static `now` tokens (UTC)
Each row is a built-in property on the now object at the moment the runner evaluates the expression. Values are in UTC unless noted as a plain integer (for example year or day-of-month). The canonical list is generated from GLOBAL_PROMPT_TAGS in the codebase.
| Value | Description |
|---|---|
| {{now.iso}} | Now (ISO 8601) Current UTC timestamp as an ISO 8601 string when the workflow resolves this expression. |
| {{now.unix_ms}} | Now (Unix ms) Current time as Unix epoch milliseconds when this expression is resolved. |
| {{now.date}} | Today (UTC date) Current calendar date in UTC as YYYY-MM-DD when this expression is resolved. |
| {{now.year}} | Now · year (UTC) Four-digit calendar year in UTC when this expression is resolved. |
| {{now.day}} | Now · day of month (UTC) Day of the month in UTC (1–31) when this expression is resolved. |
| {{now.month}} | Now · month number (UTC) Month number in UTC (1 = January through 12 = December) when this expression is resolved. |
| {{now.month_full}} | Now · month name (UTC, full) Full month name in UTC using the Australian English locale when this expression is resolved. |
| {{now.month_short}} | Now · month name (UTC, short) Abbreviated month name in UTC using the Australian English locale when this expression is resolved. |
| {{now.time_24}} | Now · time 24-hour (UTC) Current UTC time as HH:mm:ss (24-hour, zero-padded) when this expression is resolved. |
| {{now.time_12}} | Now · time 12-hour (UTC) Current UTC time as h:mm:ss am/pm when this expression is resolved. |
| {{now.day_of_year}} | Now · day of year (UTC) Ordinal calendar day within the UTC year (1–366) when this expression is resolved. |
| {{now.weekday_number}} | Now · weekday ISO (UTC) ISO weekday number in UTC: 1 = Monday through 7 = Sunday when this expression is resolved. |
| {{now.weekday_full}} | Now · weekday (UTC, full) Full weekday name in UTC using the Australian English locale when this expression is resolved. |
| {{now.weekday_short}} | Now · weekday (UTC, short) Abbreviated weekday in UTC using the Australian English locale when this expression is resolved. |
| {{now.slug_timestamp}} | Now · slug timestamp (UTC) Current UTC instant as `YYYY-MM-DD_HH-mm-ss`, suitable for filesystem-friendly prefixes. |
Relative time: now.ago_… and now.in_…
Beyond the fixed fields above, you can shift the resolution instant backward (ago) or forward (in) and emit an ISO 8601 string: ideal for IMAP SINCE / BEFORE style filters after new Date(...) on the server.
Formula grammar
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| now.ago_<N><unit> | Instant <N> units <em>before</em> the resolution time (UTC). | {{now.ago_4d}} |
| now.in_<N><unit> | Instant <N> units <em>after</em> the resolution time (UTC). | {{now.in_2h}} |
N is a positive integer. Units are fixed suffix letters (see table below). Any combination that matches the grammar is resolved at run time: even if it does not appear in the autocomplete list.
Units
| Suffix | Length used | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| m | Minutes | Example: 30 minutes → suffix `m` after the count. |
| h | Hours | Wall-clock hours, not business hours. |
| d | Days | 24-hour days (86,400,000 ms each). |
| w | Weeks | Seven days. |
| mo | Months (approx.) | Fixed at 30 days per count: not calendar months. Use `d` if you need exact calendar spans from upstream data. |
| y | Years (approx.) | Fixed at 365 days per count: not leap-year aware. Prefer explicit dates from `input` when legal calendars matter. |
Preset tags (autocomplete)
The editor suggests the following relative tokens; each resolves to an ISO string at the same time as other {{now.iso}} lookups on that hop.
| Value | Description |
|---|---|
| {{now.ago_10m}} | Now · 10 minutes ago (ISO) UTC instant 10 minutes before resolution time, as ISO 8601. Same pattern as `{{now.ago_<N><unit>}}`, units: m, h, d, w, mo (30 days), y (365 days); e.g. `{{now.ago_2h}}`. |
| {{now.ago_30m}} | Now · 30 minutes ago (ISO) UTC instant 30 minutes before resolution time, as ISO 8601. |
| {{now.ago_1h}} | Now · 1 hour ago (ISO) UTC instant one hour before resolution time, as ISO 8601. |
| {{now.ago_6h}} | Now · 6 hours ago (ISO) UTC instant six hours before resolution time, as ISO 8601. |
| {{now.ago_1d}} | Now · 1 day ago (ISO) UTC instant one day before resolution time, as ISO 8601. |
| {{now.ago_7d}} | Now · 7 days ago (ISO) UTC instant seven days before resolution time, as ISO 8601. |
| {{now.ago_30d}} | Now · 30 days ago (ISO) UTC instant 30 days before resolution time, as ISO 8601. |
| {{now.ago_1y}} | Now · 1 year ago (ISO) UTC instant 365 days before resolution time, as ISO 8601. |
| {{now.in_10m}} | Now · in 10 minutes (ISO) UTC instant 10 minutes after resolution time, as ISO 8601. Same pattern as `{{now.in_<N><unit>}}`, units: m, h, d, w, mo (30 days), y (365 days); e.g. `{{now.in_14d}}`. |
| {{now.in_30m}} | Now · in 30 minutes (ISO) UTC instant 30 minutes after resolution time, as ISO 8601. |
| {{now.in_1h}} | Now · in 1 hour (ISO) UTC instant one hour after resolution time, as ISO 8601. |
| {{now.in_6h}} | Now · in 6 hours (ISO) UTC instant six hours after resolution time, as ISO 8601. |
| {{now.in_1d}} | Now · in 1 day (ISO) UTC instant one day after resolution time, as ISO 8601. |
| {{now.in_7d}} | Now · in 7 days (ISO) UTC instant seven days after resolution time, as ISO 8601. |
| {{now.in_30d}} | Now · in 30 days (ISO) UTC instant 30 days after resolution time, as ISO 8601. |
| {{now.in_1y}} | Now · in 1 year (ISO) UTC instant 365 days after resolution time, as ISO 8601. |
Related
- Expression variables (full namespace reference)
- Search email
- Steps and behaviour hub