---
alias: user-guide-automation-converter-now
description: "This converter replaces the input value with the current date and time in the selected format"
---

# Now

The **Now** converter ignores the input value and outputs the **current date and time** in the format selected through its settings. It is typically used to stamp a message or a task input with the moment the flow runs, without having to rely on an upstream source of time.

## Settings

| Name     | Data Type | Possible Values                                                                                                                    | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| -------- | --------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| format   | `Enum`    | `epoch_ms`<br />`epoch_seconds`<br />`iso`<br />`utc`<br />`local`<br />`date`<br />`time`<br />`timezone`                         | Output format of the current date/time. Defaults to `epoch_ms`.<br /><br />`epoch_ms` - milliseconds since the Unix epoch (number).<br />`epoch_seconds` - seconds since the Unix epoch (number).<br />`iso` - ISO 8601 string (for example, `2024-01-15T10:30:00.000Z`).<br />`utc` - UTC string (for example, `Mon, 15 Jan 2024 10:30:00 GMT`).<br />`local` - locale-aware date and time string.<br />`date` - date-only ISO string (for example, `2024-01-15`).<br />`time` - time-only ISO string (for example, `10:30:00.000`).<br />`timezone` - date/time formatted in the IANA timezone provided in the `timezone` setting. |
| timezone | `String`  |                                                                                                                                    | IANA timezone name (for example, `America/New_York`, `Europe/Lisbon`). Only used when `format` is set to `timezone`.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |

Table 1: Settings

![Now Converter Settings](./images/converter_now.png)

## Examples

Assuming the current instant is **2024-01-15 10:30:00.000 UTC**, the output for each format is:

| `format`        | `timezone`         | Output Type | Output                                              |
| --------------- | ------------------ | ----------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
| `epoch_ms`      |                    | `Number`    | `1705314600000`                                     |
| `epoch_seconds` |                    | `Number`    | `1705314600`                                        |
| `iso`           |                    | `String`    | `2024-01-15T10:30:00.000Z`                          |
| `utc`           |                    | `String`    | `Mon, 15 Jan 2024 10:30:00 GMT`                     |
| `local`         |                    | `String`    | `1/15/2024, 10:30:00 AM` (depends on machine locale) |
| `date`          |                    | `String`    | `2024-01-15`                                        |
| `time`          |                    | `String`    | `10:30:00.000`                                      |
| `timezone`      | `America/New_York` | `String`    | `01/15/2024, 05:30:00` (UTC-5)                      |
| `timezone`      | *(empty)*          | `String`    | Falls back to ISO: `2024-01-15T10:30:00.000Z`.       |

Table 2: Examples

### Invalid Input

This converter fails in the case below. For what happens to the rest of the chain when a converter fails (the error is logged, reported for monitoring, and the next task does not run), see [[user-guide-automation-converters-index]].

| `format`   | `timezone`       | Result                                                             |
| ---------- | ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `timezone` | `Invalid/Zone`   | Fails with `RangeError: Invalid time zone specified: Invalid/Zone`. |

Table 3: Invalid Input

Unknown values for `format` do not fail - the converter silently falls back to `epoch_ms`.