Date/Time Formatter Workflow Action in Sparkforge

By Sparkforge Support Team ·Last reviewed May 3, 2026

The Date/Time Formatter action converts date fields between formats or compares two dates inside a workflow. Use it to standardize date strings or trigger time-sensitive actions like reminders.

The Date/Time Formatter workflow action handles three jobs: convert a date between formats, convert a combined date and time, or compare two dates. Use it to keep date strings consistent and to drive time-based logic.

Three modes

Format Date

Convert one date format to another (e.g., MM/DD/YYYY to YYYY-MM-DD). Useful when downstream tools or reports need a specific format.

Example: on Form Submission, format the submitted date to YYYY-MM-DD for reporting.

Format Date and Time

Convert combined date and time fields, including Unix timestamps. Common for appointment notifications.

Example: on Appointment Created, convert a Unix timestamp into a readable string for SMS.

Compare Dates

Evaluate which of two dates is earlier, later, or equal. Drives time-sensitive automations.

Example: on Event Registration, compare the registration date with the event date to fire reminders if the event is within 3 days.

Field reference

Field	Description	Required
Action Name	Name shown in the workflow	Yes
Action Type	Format Date, Format Date and Time, or Compare Dates	Yes
Field	Date field to format or compare	Yes
From Format	Existing format of the input	Yes
To Format	Desired output format	Yes
Start Date / End Date	Two date fields for Compare Dates	Yes (compare mode)

Supported formats

YYYY-MM-DD
MM-DD-YYYY, MM/DD/YYYY, MM/DD/YY
DD-MM-YYYY, DD/MM/YYYY, DD/MM/YY
DD MMM YYYY, D MMMM YYYY
MMMM D, YYYY, MMM DD, YYYY
MMMM Do YYYY (e.g., December 21st, 2023)
X (Unix timestamp, e.g., 1703176259)

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between Format Date and Format Date and Time?

Format Date converts only the date portion. Format Date and Time also converts the time, including Unix timestamps.

Can I compare a date field against today's date?

Yes. Use Compare Dates and set one of the inputs to the workflow's current-date variable, then format both inputs consistently.

Do both inputs to Compare Dates need the same format?

You declare each input's format separately, so they can differ. The action normalizes them internally before comparing.

Can the formatter handle Unix timestamps?

Yes. Use X as the From Format to read a Unix timestamp, then pick any standard format for output.

What happens if the input value doesn't match the From Format I declared?

The action will fail to parse and the workflow may error out. Validate sources or add an If/Else gate before the formatter.