Using Variables to Create Timestamps for Your Files

Timestamps are useful tools to use in your automation tasks to track when particular events occur.

The following system variables are available for you to use to create timestamps for your files:

  • Year
  • Month
  • Day
  • Hour
  • Minute
  • Second
  • Date

You can combine any of these variables to design your own timestamp formats.

To design date/time timestamps, following these steps:

  1. Launch the Variable Manager.
  2. Click on "Show System Variables".
  3. Select the Date/Time variable and use a combination of variables.

Using the Date Variable with File Names

If you use the Date variable to append a date to file names, you cannot use a slash (/) in your date format. Microsoft Windows prohibits the use of the slash character in file names.

Examples:

  1. To create a timestamp for Year, Month, and Day, that is appended to the end of string 'ABC', type: ABC$Year$Month$Day$

    This example might look like this: ABC2013521

  2. To create a complete timestamp for the previous example with the current date and time, type: ABC$Year$Month$Day$Hour$Minute$Second$

    This example might look like this: ABC201352107:03:03

  3. For clarity, you can insert text characters between the variables.

    For example, to display ABC2013-5-21, type: ABC$Year$-$Month$-$Day$