How to calculate time left until date+time?

Questions and Help
1

How do I enter a formula that will automatically calculate the time left until specified time and date?

For example:
Hello customer,

Our store will re-open on Monday, February 1st at 9:00am.

Countdown timer: {INSERT FORMULA HERE (for 16 hours and 13 days)} left to go!

2

Hey Bester,

Good question. This is pretty easy with just days or hours, but gets a little more tricky when it's both days and hours. Here's one that I created that will always assume a 9am reopening time. I wonder if anyone else has a more elegant approach than this:

Our store will reopen on {formdate: YYYY-MM-DD; default={time: YYYY-MM-DD; shift=+2D}; name=reopen} at 9:00am. That's only {if: diffcalc>=24}{=remainingdays}{if: remainingdays>1} days{else} day{endif} and {=remaininghours} hours away!{else}{=diffcalc} hours away!{endif: trim=right}
{note: trim=yes}
{diffcalc=datetimediff({time: YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss}, {time: YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss; at={=reopen} 09:00:00; pattern=YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss},"h")}{remainingdays=round({=diffcalc}/24)-1}{remaininghours=remainder({=diffcalc},24)}{endnote: trim=yes}

1 Like
3

Oh wow, thank you so much!! This was very helpful :heart_eyes:

4

Where can I find these hidden commands called "datetimediff" and "remainder"? Do I need a special subscription for them?

5

Those are all documented in our Formula Reference here: Text Blaze | Formula Reference

6

Sorry if this is a noob question but is there a way to change the formatting to MMMM Do, YYYY?

7

Not a noob question, time formatting and time calculation can be surprisingly tough.

To update that, I needed to change the format both in the date selector AND in the formula that evaluated the difference between the two times. Here's an updated version:

Our store will reopen on {formdate: MMMM Do, YYYY; default={time: YYYY-MM-DD; shift=+2D}; name=reopen} at 9:00am. That's only {if: diffcalc>=24}{=remainingdays}{if: remainingdays>1} days{else} day{endif} and {=remaininghours} hours away!{else}{=diffcalc} hours away!{endif: trim=right}
{note: trim=yes}
{diffcalc=datetimediff({time: YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss}, {time: YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss; at={=reopen} 09:00:00; pattern=MMMM Do, YYYY HH:mm:ss},"h")}{remainingdays=round({=diffcalc}/24)-1}{remaininghours=remainder({=diffcalc},24)}{endnote: trim=yes}

The preview in the community will still show it in the other format but when it's actually inserted upon snippet use, it'll use the format you requested.

8

Awesome!! This is perfect, exactly what I was looking for. Thank you so much!