# Variable set meta data
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/variable-set-meta-data/36685
**Category:** General
**Created:** [28 November 2020 19:40 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/variable-set-meta-data/36685 "2020-11-28T19:40:02Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@StevenJonSmith](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/StevenJonSmith)
#### Post date: [28 November 2020 19:40 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/variable-set-meta-data/36685/1 "2020-11-28T19:40:02Z")
Hi,
I am using Node-Red for the automation flows on my [Hass.io](http://Hass.io) install.
When I set a variable I notice that the date and time, of that event, is saved and can be viewed in the side pane. How can I get this detail in a node? I could save the date and time in a seperate variable, but that seems wasteful if the data is already saved in the meta.
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### Author:  [@TotallyInformation](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/TotallyInformation)
#### Post date: [28 November 2020 20:33 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/variable-set-meta-data/36685/2 "2020-11-28T20:33:25Z")
Node-RED stores what you tell it to, nothing else. So typically you have to add a timestamp yourself.
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### Author:  [@StevenJonSmith](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/StevenJonSmith)
#### Post date: [28 November 2020 21:09 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/variable-set-meta-data/36685/3 "2020-11-28T21:09:25Z")
Yes, thank you. I mistook the time in the flow section as the time the variable was set, as time had passed between me checking it and looking. The time is actually the last time the flow variables were checked, I shall save the time also.
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### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [12 December 2020 21:09 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/variable-set-meta-data/36685/4 "2020-12-12T21:09:34Z")
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