The Date user block allows you to ask your user for a date. You can ask for a specific date or range and include time. The block uses native date pickers that adapt to different devices and browsers.

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Configuration Options

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Date Range Toggle

Enable date range selection to allow users to pick both start and end dates:
  • From Label: Customize the label for the start date field
  • To Label: Customize the label for the end date field
  • Collected as a formatted range string in the saved variable

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Time Integration

Enable time selection alongside date picking:
  • Changes input type from date to datetime-local
  • Allows users to specify both date and time
  • Affects the format patterns and display options

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Custom Labels

  • Button Label: Customize the text shown on the submit button
  • From Label: Set the label for the start date (range mode only)
  • To Label: Set the label for the end date (range mode only)

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Date Constraints

  • Minimum Date: Set the earliest selectable date (format: YYYY-MM-DD or YYYY-MM-DDTHH:mm)
  • Maximum Date: Set the latest selectable date (format: YYYY-MM-DD or YYYY-MM-DDTHH:mm)
  • Supports variable integration for dynamic date limits

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Format Customization

Customize how the collected date is formatted and stored using date-fns formatting tokens.

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Variable Integration

  • Save Answer: Choose a variable to store the collected date/range
Date input in flow

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Native Date Picker

The input will use the native date picker depending on the device and browser used to answer the bot. For example on Firefox it looks like this:
Date native picker

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Format Options

The Format setting lets you customize the picked date format. Under the hood, it is done using the date-fns library. You can use any of the formatting tokens supported by the library.

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Common Format Examples

Date Only: 
yyyy-MM-dd          → 2023-01-15
dd/MM/yyyy          → 15/01/2023
MM/dd/yy            → 01/15/23
d.MM.yy             → 15.1.23
Date with Time: 
yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss → 2023-01-15 14:30:00
dd/MM/yyyy HH:mm    → 15/01/2023 14:30
dd.MM HH:mm         → 15.01 14:30

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Format Behavior

  • Single date: Returns formatted date string
  • Date range: Returns “formatted_start_date to formatted_end_date”
  • Format automatically adapts to time inclusion
  • Default formats: dd/MM/yyyy (date) and dd/MM/yyyy HH:mm (datetime)

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Advanced Features

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Dynamic Date Constraints

Use variables to set dynamic minimum and maximum dates:
  • Reference other collected dates for validation
  • Create date dependencies between multiple date inputs
  • Implement business logic for date restrictions

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Cross-Platform Compatibility

The block automatically detects the device and browser capabilities:
  • Mobile devices: Optimized touch-friendly date pickers
  • Desktop browsers: Standard date input controls
  • Fallback support for browsers without native date picker support

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Validation

Automatic validation ensures:
  • Selected dates are within min/max constraints
  • Date ranges have valid start/end relationships
  • Proper date format compliance

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Best Practices

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User Experience

  • Use clear, descriptive labels for date fields
  • Set appropriate min/max constraints to guide user selection
  • Consider timezone implications for time-enabled inputs
  • Test across different devices and browsers

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Format Selection

  • Choose formats familiar to your target audience
  • Consider localization requirements
  • Use shorter formats for mobile interfaces
  • Include time only when necessary

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Variable Management

  • Use descriptive variable names that indicate content
  • Consider how date data will be processed downstream
  • Account for range vs. single date format differences
  • Plan for integration with external systems

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Integration Examples

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Date Range for Booking

From: 2023-12-01
To: 2023-12-07
Saved as: "01/12/2023 to 07/12/2023"

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DateTime for Appointments

Date/Time: 2023-12-01T14:30
Saved as: "01/12/2023 14:30"

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Troubleshooting

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Common Issues

Date picker not appearing
  • Ensure browser supports HTML5 date inputs
  • Check that the input type is correctly set based on time settings
  • Verify JavaScript is enabled in the browser
Format not applied correctly
  • Verify format string uses valid date-fns tokens
  • Check that format matches the time setting (with/without time)
  • Test format with expected date values
Date range validation errors
  • Ensure “from” date is before “to” date
  • Check min/max constraints don’t conflict with range selection
  • Verify both dates are within allowed range
Variable not saving properly
  • Confirm a variable is selected in the “Save Answer” dropdown
  • Check variable type compatibility with date strings
  • Verify format produces expected string output

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Browser-Specific Considerations

  • Safari: May have different date picker styling
  • Firefox: Different format display in picker
  • Mobile browsers: Touch-optimized interfaces
  • Legacy browsers: May require polyfills or fallback handling

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Integration Tips

  • Parse date strings correctly in webhook handlers
  • Account for timezone differences in processing
  • Convert formats as needed for external API integration
  • Handle range format parsing for “to” relationships