How to use Dates and Time Custom Fields in Your Decision Trees

Introduction:

In this article, you’ll learn about the various ways you can save dates, times and perform calculations.

Please note: Be sure to use the CORRECT type of field. You should use date, time or date&time custom fields.

Add scripts on node…

Important: DT.setField function cannot be used on the last node for V2 DTs.

1) Save Today’s Date Into a Field

Add this script on the node…

<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/moment.js/2.29.4/moment.min.js" integrity="sha512-CryKbMe7sjSCDPl18jtJI5DR5jtkUWxPXWaLCst6QjH8wxDexfRJic2WRmRXmstr2Y8SxDDWuBO6CQC6IE4KTA==" crossorigin="anonymous" referrerpolicy="no-referrer"></script>

<script>
  DT.setField('test_date_1', moment.utc().startOf('day').valueOf());
</script>

2) Save Today’s Date Less 6 Months Into a Field

Add this script on the node…

<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/moment.js/2.29.4/moment.min.js" integrity="sha512-CryKbMe7sjSCDPl18jtJI5DR5jtkUWxPXWaLCst6QjH8wxDexfRJic2WRmRXmstr2Y8SxDDWuBO6CQC6IE4KTA==" crossorigin="anonymous" referrerpolicy="no-referrer"></script>

<script>
  DT.setField('test_date_1', moment.utc().startOf('day').subtract(6, 'months').valueOf())
</script>

3) Days between two dates

1. Create a custom field called “daysOld” ( number field, visible: yes )

2. Create a custom field called “DOB”

Note: The Format is important. It should be MM/DD/YYYY and of input type: combobox.

3. Copy/paste this code into any script sections of a node that captures a date in the past. For example a question that asks “What is your date of birth?”

<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/moment.js/2.29.4/moment.min.js" integrity="sha512-CryKbMe7sjSCDPl18jtJI5DR5jtkUWxPXWaLCst6QjH8wxDexfRJic2WRmRXmstr2Y8SxDDWuBO6CQC6IE4KTA==" crossorigin="anonymous" referrerpolicy="no-referrer"></script>

<script>
//Get our 2 dates
today = new Date()
past = new Date('{DOB}')

console.log('DOB: '+past);

//Calculate the time difference of two dates
var diff = today.getTime() - past.getTime();
var days = Math.floor(diff / (1000 * 3600 * 24));
 
//Print result on browser console
console.log("Number of days old: "+days);
 
//Assign result to custom field
DT.setField('daysOld', days);

</script>

4. Publish and access via direct link. Check the browser console for the number of days to print.

Decision Node: You can also use decision nodes to compare 2 dates…

4) Time between two dates in days, months, and years

  1. You will need to create the DOB custom field as described previously
  2. Create three number custom fields called “days”, “months”, “years”
  3. Copy/paste this code into any script sections of a node that captures a date in the past. For example a question that asks “What is your date of birth?”.
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/moment.js/2.29.4/moment.min.js" integrity="sha512-CryKbMe7sjSCDPl18jtJI5DR5jtkUWxPXWaLCst6QjH8wxDexfRJic2WRmRXmstr2Y8SxDDWuBO6CQC6IE4KTA==" crossorigin="anonymous" referrerpolicy="no-referrer"></script>

<script>
//Get our 2 dates
today = new Date()
past = new Date('{DOB}')
 
console.log('DOB: '+past);

dy = today.getYear()  - past.getYear();
dm = today.getMonth() - past.getMonth();
dd = today.getDate()  - past.getDate();

if (dd < 0) { dm -= 1; dd += 30; }
if (dm < 0) { dy -= 1; dm += 12; }

console.log(dy+" Year(s), "+dm+" Month(s), and "+dd+" Days.");

  //Assign result to custom field
DT.setField('days', dd);
DT.setField('months', dm);
DT.setField('years', dy);

</script>

5) Get age from a given date of birth

  1. You will need to create a custom field called {birth_date}
  2. You will need to create a custom field called {age}

Where you capture the birth_date, you will need to fire this script on exit of the node:

<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/moment.js/2.29.4/moment.min.js" integrity="sha512-CryKbMe7sjSCDPl18jtJI5DR5jtkUWxPXWaLCst6QjH8wxDexfRJic2WRmRXmstr2Y8SxDDWuBO6CQC6IE4KTA==" crossorigin="anonymous" referrerpolicy="no-referrer"></script>

<script>
  var today = new Date();
    var birthDate = new Date('{birth_date}');
    var age = today.getFullYear() - birthDate.getFullYear();
    var m = today.getMonth() - birthDate.getMonth();
    if (m < 0 || (m === 0 && today.getDate() < birthDate.getDate())) {
        age--;
    }
    console.log(age);
  DT.setField('age', age);
  
</script>

Then you can access the correct age using the {age} custom field in your Decision Tree.

6) Assign MM-DD-YY to their own individual custom fields.

  1. Create 3 custom fields which will be used to store the value of MM, DD, and YY
  2. Create a decision node to set the value of those 3 fields.
  3. Apply Field Filters to get individual values of MM, DD, and YY

Example of how it would look like inside the decision node.

day_customfield > {yourdate|date:'DD'}
month_customfield > {yourdate|date:'MM'}
year_customfield > {yourdate|date:'YYYY'}

7.) Adding and Subtracting Years, Months or Days from today’s date.

1. Create a DATE type custom field first.

2. Use one of the scripts below.

A.) test_date_1 will subtract 308 weeks from today.

B.) test_date_2 will subtract 6 years from today.

C.) test_date_3 will add 14 days from today.

You will need to edit the script and only use one of them depending on what you want to add or subtract.


DT.setField(‘YOUR_FIELD_HERE‘, moment.utc().startOf(‘day’).ADD/SUBTRACT(NUMBERVALUE, ‘WEEKS/DAYS/YEARS‘).valueOf())

<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/moment.js/2.29.4/moment.min.js" integrity="sha512-CryKbMe7sjSCDPl18jtJI5DR5jtkUWxPXWaLCst6QjH8wxDexfRJic2WRmRXmstr2Y8SxDDWuBO6CQC6IE4KTA==" crossorigin="anonymous" referrerpolicy="no-referrer"></script>

<script>
  DT.setField('test_date_1', moment.utc().startOf('day').subtract(308, 'weeks').valueOf())
  DT.setField('test_date_2', moment.utc().startOf('day').subtract(6, 'years').valueOf())
  DT.setField('test_date_3', moment.utc().startOf('day').add(14, 'day').valueOf())

</script>
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