1.3.11.1 Add Current Date
The Add Current Date processor adds a Date attribute to a process, with the current server processing date/time as its value.
An option is used to control whether to add the same date and time to all records in a process (see Note), or whether to add the precise time each record was processed. For example, if comparing a Date Of Birth attribute in your data set with the current date/time, you will likely want to add the same date/time to all records, so that the date comparison is consistent for all records. If, however, you have a long-running process and want to 'stamp' each record with the date and time that EDQ processed it, you would want to add the exact time each record was processed.
Note:
If running a process in interval mode and the option to add the same date and time to all records is selected, the same date and time is added to all records in the same interval, but not to records in different intervals.
Use Add Current Date for any date/time calculations that need to be sensitive to the processing time. For example, you may want to isolate and work with records that have been updated in the last year at the point of running the process. To do this, you can add the current date and time into your process, use Date Difference to calculate the difference between this date and the last modified date in your data, and then use Value Check to isolate the records you require.
Other uses for the Add Current Date processor include:
-
Calculating current age of individuals by comparing the current date with a Date of Birth attribute
-
Timestamping records as they are processed by EDQ
The following table describes the configuration options:
| Configuration | Description |
|---|---|
|
Inputs |
This processor does not require any inputs, as it adds an attribute to all records input to it. |
|
Options |
Specify the following options:
|
|
Outputs |
Describes any data attribute or flag attribute outputs. |
|
Data Attributes |
The following data attributes are output:
|
|
Flags |
None. |
The Add Current Date processor always appears with a re-run marker, indicating that it will be completely re-executed each time the process is run, regardless of whether or not its configuration has changed. This will also mean that processors that are downstream of the Add Current Date processor, and which use the added date value (or another attribute value that depends upon it), will need to be rerun. This is because Add Current Date will add a different Date/Time value each time it is run, meaning that all dependent processors need to be re-executed to ensure consistent results.
The Add Current Date processor does not output any summary data. The new date attribute is shown to the left of all other attributes in the data view.
Output Filters
None.
Example
In this first example, Add Current Date adds the same date/time value to all records. Note that the time is set to midnight:
| Processing Date | ID |
|---|---|
|
05-Jun-2008 00:00:00 |
49956 |
|
05-Jun-2008 00:00:00 |
49837 |
|
05-Jun-2008 00:00:00 |
49505 |
|
05-Jun-2008 00:00:00 |
49491 |
|
05-Jun-2008 00:00:00 |
49415 |
|
05-Jun-2008 00:00:00 |
49346 |
|
05-Jun-2008 00:00:00 |
49149 |
|
05-Jun-2008 00:00:00 |
48554 |
In this second example, Add Current Date adds the precise processing date/time to each record:
| Processing Date | ID |
|---|---|
|
05-Jun-2008 15:16:31 |
49956 |
|
05-Jun-2008 15:16:31 |
49837 |
|
05-Jun-2008 15:16:31 |
49505 |
|
05-Jun-2008 15:16:31 |
49491 |
|
05-Jun-2008 15:16:31 |
49415 |
|
05-Jun-2008 15:16:31 |
49346 |
|
05-Jun-2008 15:16:31 |
49149 |
|
05-Jun-2008 15:16:32 |
48554 |