# Datetime formatting issue
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/datetime-formatting-issue/99169
**Category:** General
**Created:** [26 September 2025 11:18 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/datetime-formatting-issue/99169 "2025-09-26T11:18:34Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@azan5050](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/azan5050)
#### Post date: [26 September 2025 11:18 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/datetime-formatting-issue/99169/1 "2025-09-26T11:18:34Z")
Create a dashboard with two datetime inputs. Convert these UTC times to the server's local time and format them for SQL Server's `smalldatetime` type. Then, query the database for records within that range and send the results to a chart.
26/09/2025, 16:22:54node: debug 15
sensor\_data\_query : msg.payload : Object
object
query: string
```
SELECT [Id], [SensorName], [SensorValue], [Alert], [Timestamp]
FROM [IndustrialDB].[dbo].[SensorData]
WHERE [Timestamp] BETWEEN ? AND ?
ORDER BY [Timestamp] ASC
```
params: array[2]
0: "2025-09-25 10:58:00"
1: "2025-09-26 11:03:00"
---
### Author:  [@jbudd](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/jbudd)
#### Post date: [26 September 2025 13:33 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/datetime-formatting-issue/99169/2 "2025-09-26T13:33:05Z")
Welcome to the foum @azan5050
> [@azan5050](#):
>
> Create a dashboard with two datetime inputs. Convert these UTC times to the server's local time and format them for SQL Server's `smalldatetime` type. Then, query the database for records within that range and send the results to a chart.
Are these your instructions to people trying to reply in the forum, or your boss's instructions to you?
---
### Author:  [@azan5050](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/azan5050)
#### Post date: [29 September 2025 05:14 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/datetime-formatting-issue/99169/3 "2025-09-29T05:14:20Z")
my boss instruction to me
---
### Author:  [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)
#### Post date: [29 September 2025 08:38 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/datetime-formatting-issue/99169/4 "2025-09-29T08:38:39Z")
Are you asking for help? If so what is the question?
---
### Author:  [@E1cid](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/E1cid)
#### Post date: [29 September 2025 15:22 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/datetime-formatting-issue/99169/5 "2025-09-29T15:22:05Z")
Not knowing which dashboard you are using , guess dashboard2
You can also use a form to collect all input
example flow
look in dashboard2
example flow json [How to import/export a flow](https://nodered.org/docs/user-guide/editor/workspace/import-export)
```auto
[{"id":"98faa405e180b3a6","type":"ui-form","z":"d1395164b4eec73e","name":"","group":"9d83cd8b3d5ee33c","label":"","order":1,"width":0,"height":0,"options":[{"label":"date from","key":"dfrom","type":"date","required":true,"rows":null},{"label":"time from","key":"tfrom","type":"time","required":true,"rows":null},{"label":"date to","key":"dto","type":"date","required":true,"rows":null},{"label":"time to","key":"tto","type":"time","required":true,"rows":null}],"formValue":{"dfrom":"","tfrom":"","dto":"","tto":""},"payload":"","submit":"submit","cancel":"clear","resetOnSubmit":false,"topic":"topic","topicType":"msg","splitLayout":true,"className":"","passthru":false,"dropdownOptions":[],"x":710,"y":2120,"wires":[["01bedafdbd172c91"]]},{"id":"01bedafdbd172c91","type":"template","z":"d1395164b4eec73e","name":"","field":"payload","fieldType":"msg","format":"handlebars","syntax":"mustache","template":"[\n\"{{payload.dfrom}} {{payload.tfrom}}\",\n\"{{payload.dto}} {{payload.tto}}\"\n]","output":"json","x":880,"y":2120,"wires":[["f25551b1d24cfba0"]]},{"id":"f25551b1d24cfba0","type":"debug","z":"d1395164b4eec73e","name":"debug 6","active":true,"tosidebar":true,"console":false,"tostatus":false,"complete":"false","statusVal":"","statusType":"auto","x":1060,"y":2120,"wires":[]},{"id":"9d83cd8b3d5ee33c","type":"ui-group","name":"Group1","page":"c694d0ebe0d2b702","width":"6","height":"1","order":1,"showTitle":true,"className":"","visible":"true","disabled":"false","groupType":"default"},{"id":"c694d0ebe0d2b702","type":"ui-page","name":"Page1","ui":"1805777f90e92057","path":"/page1","icon":"home","layout":"grid","theme":"35ee7753b5b3599b","breakpoints":[{"name":"Default","px":"0","cols":"3"},{"name":"Tablet","px":"576","cols":"6"},{"name":"Small Desktop","px":"768","cols":"9"},{"name":"Desktop","px":"1024","cols":"12"}],"order":1,"className":"","visible":"true","disabled":"false"},{"id":"1805777f90e92057","type":"ui-base","name":"dashboard ","path":"/dashboard","appIcon":"","includeClientData":true,"acceptsClientConfig":["ui-notification","ui-control"],"showPathInSidebar":false,"headerContent":"page","titleBarStyle":"default","showReconnectNotification":false,"notificationDisplayTime":"5","showDisconnectNotification":false},{"id":"35ee7753b5b3599b","type":"ui-theme","name":"Theme Name","colors":{"surface":"#16234b","primary":"#1d44b9","bgPage":"#ecf2f8","groupBg":"#ffffff","groupOutline":"#cccccc"},"sizes":{"density":"default","pagePadding":"12px","groupGap":"12px","groupBorderRadius":"4px","widgetGap":"12px"}}]
```
There are also many examples of how to format a timestamp (both unix and iso) using change node and $moment and $fromMillis using JSONATA.
You can also use days.js and moment.js in a function node.
There is also the moment contrib node.
If you search the form for more info, there is plenty available.
---
### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [29 September 2025 15:29 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/datetime-formatting-issue/99169/6 "2025-09-29T15:29:42Z")
> [@E1cid](#):
>
> Not knowing which dashboard you are using , guess dashboard2
The top bar colour in the screenshot screens old/depreciated node-red-dashboard (not Dasboard-2)
---
### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [28 November 2025 15:29 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/datetime-formatting-issue/99169/7 "2025-11-28T15:29:46Z")
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