+4I know there is {{zap_meta_human_now}} for adding the date and time the zap runs.
But I am looking for something like “Get Today’s Date” at the beginning of a new Zap to compare this date with a recently added date with {{zap_meta_human_now}} in a certain field.
Is this possible with a Javascript or Python script (get current date)?
Thanks for help.
Best answer by SamB
Hey all! It seems like
For example this Python code:
# imports the datetime module
from datetime import datetime
# Gets the current date and time
time_now = datetime.now()
#converts the default date time into YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM format
date_time = time_now.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M")
#outputs the current date and time in a field called "Date and Time"
return {
'Date and Time': date_time
}would create a field called Date and Time with the current date and time:
Which you could then select in subsequent steps:
And if you wanted to output just the date you could adjust the code so that only the date is output:
# imports the datetime module
from datetime import datetime
# Gets the current date and time
time_now = datetime.now()
#converts the default date time into YYYY-MM-DD format
date_only = time_now.strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
#outputs the current date and time in a field called "Date"
return {
'Date': date_only
}Like so:
You can find out more about the different date formatting options available in Python here: strftime() and strptime() Format Codes 
Moderator update (May 28, 2025): For those on paid Zapier plans, it’s also possible to access the current time using a system variable. You can learn more about creating and accessing custom/system variables here: Create reusable variables to use in Zaps. If you’re not on a paid plan, it’s still possible to use the {{zap_meta_human_now}} approach as well.
+11Definitely seems possible via a code step:
https://www.programiz.com/python-programming/datetime/current-time
+4
from datetime import datetime
# datetime object containing current date and time
now = datetime.now()
print("now =", now)
# YY-MM-DD HH-mm
dt_string = now.strftime("%Y-%m-%d_%H-%M")
print("date and time =", dt_string)
+4I do have a problem now with the output of this Python script:
from datetime import datetime
# datetime object containing current date and time
now = datetime.now()
print("now =", now)
# YY-MM-DD HH-mm
dt_string = now.strftime("%Y-%m-%d_%H-%M")
print("date and time =", dt_string)
The test did work and I got the correct result, but when I want to add the result in a later step of the Zap the output is missing: Please return output or return early.
I am sorry, but I do not know Python so well. What does this mean?
Thanks for help.
+12
Unless you are doing the comparison in a code step, I don’t see how it would be different than just using a formatter with {{zap_meta_human_now}}
If you just want the date and not the time field you can specify that in the formatter
+11Hey all! It seems like
For example this Python code:
# imports the datetime module
from datetime import datetime
# Gets the current date and time
time_now = datetime.now()
#converts the default date time into YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM format
date_time = time_now.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M")
#outputs the current date and time in a field called "Date and Time"
return {
'Date and Time': date_time
}would create a field called Date and Time with the current date and time:
Which you could then select in subsequent steps:
And if you wanted to output just the date you could adjust the code so that only the date is output:
# imports the datetime module
from datetime import datetime
# Gets the current date and time
time_now = datetime.now()
#converts the default date time into YYYY-MM-DD format
date_only = time_now.strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
#outputs the current date and time in a field called "Date"
return {
'Date': date_only
}Like so:
You can find out more about the different date formatting options available in Python here: strftime() and strptime() Format Codes
Moderator update (May 28, 2025): For those on paid Zapier plans, it’s also possible to access the current time using a system variable. You can learn more about creating and accessing custom/system variables here: Create reusable variables to use in Zaps. If you’re not on a paid plan, it’s still possible to use the {{zap_meta_human_now}} approach as well.
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