Date/Time Formatter Action in Automations

The Date/Time Formatter action lets you reformat dates and times to match your needs, or compare two dates to find the difference between them. This is useful when you need to send enrollment dates in a specific format, calculate how many days until a tour, or track payment due dates.

What You Can Do

• Format dates (like converting 01/15/2024 to January 15, 2024)
• Format dates with times
• Compare two dates to get the number of days between them

Format a Date

Use this to convert a date from one format to another — like changing a date from your system into a format parents can easily read.

How to Set It Up

1. In your automation, add a Date/Time Formatter action
2. Select "Format Date" as your action type
3. Choose your Field — this is where the date comes from:
   • Specific Date (you choose)
   • Current Date (today)
   • Family date fields (like enrollment date or birthday)
   • Tour start or end date
   • Custom values from forms or webhooks
4. Set the From Format — if you selected a system field, Enrollio auto-detects this. For custom values, select the exact format that matches your data
5. Choose your To Format — the format you want to convert to

[SCREENSHOT: Date/Time Formatter action interface showing Format Date option selected, with Field dropdown, From Format, and To Format fields visible]

Using the Result

After the formatter runs, you can use the formatted date in other automation actions:

{{datetime_formatter.1.date}}

For example, use it in text messages, emails, or to update family records.

Format a Date and Time

Similar to formatting dates, but includes the time as well. This is helpful for tour confirmations or payment reminders that need specific time formatting.

How to Set It Up

1. Add a Date/Time Formatter action to your automation
2. Select "Format Date and Time" as your action type
3. Choose your Field:
   • Specific Date and Time
   • Current Date and Time
   • Tour start or end date/time
   • Custom values from webhooks or forms
4. Set the From Format — auto-detected for system fields, manual selection for custom values
5. Choose your To Format from the available options

[SCREENSHOT: Format Date and Time configuration showing datetime field selection and format options]

Using the Result

Reference the formatted date and time in your automation:

{{datetime_formatter.1.datetime}}

Compare Dates

Calculate the number of days between two dates. This is perfect for tracking waitlist time, days until enrollment start, or payment due dates.

How to Set It Up

1. Add a Date/Time Formatter action
2. Select "Compare Dates" as your action type
3. Choose your Start Date — any date field from your system or custom values
4. Set the Start Date Format — auto-detected for system fields
5. Choose your End Date — the second date to compare
6. Set the End Date Format

[SCREENSHOT: Compare Dates configuration showing Start Date, Start Date Format, End Date, and End Date Format fields]

Using the Result

The result gives you the number of days between the two dates:

{{datetime_formatter.1.days}}

Real-World Examples

Tour Reminders

Compare today's date with a scheduled tour date to send a reminder: "Your tour is in {{datetime_formatter.1.days}} days!"

Payment Due Dates

Compare the current date with a payment due date: "Your payment is due in {{datetime_formatter.1.days}} days." If overdue, the number will be negative.

Enrollment Start Countdown

Calculate days until a child's start date and include it in welcome emails or text messages.

Custom Reporting

Format dates to match the structure needed for external reporting tools or spreadsheet exports.

Webhook Data

When receiving dates from external systems via webhooks, reformat them to match Enrollio's format or your preferred display format.