How to Add a Time Selector to a Date Field in a No-Code Form?

"I’m trying to capture both the date and the exact time in one field. For example, instead of just storing a birthdate, I want users to pick a slot like 3:15 PM. How do I configure a combined date-time selector so I can use it later in calculations?"

Why Capture Both Date and Time in One Field?

Capturing both date and time in a single field allows precise data entry that reflects exactly when an event happened. This is useful if you want to track appointment slots, work shifts, incident occurrences, or any scenario that needs specific timing alongside the date. For technical details on date-time handling, see the Calculations & Logic guide.

Use Cases

• Booking Appointments: Let users pick precise date and time slots like 3:15 PM on a specific day. Learn more from the Interview Scheduling with Date Selector blog.
• Incident Reporting: Record exactly when an event or accident took place down to the minute. Check the Automated Incident Reporting System blog for examples.
• Scheduling Deliveries or Shifts: Capture start date & time for accurate schedule management. Explore the Shift Scheduling App blog for related use cases.
• Field Service Reporting: Use combined timestamps for precise tracking. See Field Service Reporting Made Easy.

Step-by-Step Implementation Guide

Clappia currently provides separate Date Selector and Time Selector blocks for input. However, there is no single block that combines both date and time in one input field. To capture date and time together, here is the recommended approach based on Clappia's official help guides:

• Add a Date Selector block: Use this block to capture the date component. This block lets users select a date from a calendar interface. Details in the Date Selector help article.
• Add a Time Selector block: Add this block right after to capture the specific time (e.g., 3:15 PM) using a user-friendly time picker or manual input. See the Time Selector guide.
• Combine the date and time values: Use Clappia’s Calculation & Logic block (Formula block) to concatenate or merge the date and time inputs into a unified datetime string for storage and calculations. For example, concatenate date and time fields as "YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm" format for consistency. More on formulas in Calculation & Logic.
• Configure Date and Time formats: Go to Workplace settings > Preferences > Date/Time to set your preferred date format (e.g., DD-MM-YYYY) and time format (12-hour or 24-hour) that will apply across all your apps in the workplace. See Workplace Settings for details.
• Use combined date-time field in workflows or calculations: The unified string generated by the formula can now be referenced elsewhere for scheduling, filtering, or reporting within your app or exported workflows. Discover how to Automate Your Business Processes with Clappia Workflows.

Advanced Configuration Options

• Custom Formatting: Use built-in formula functions to format your combined datetime string to the exact ISO or local formats suitable for integrations. Check the Using Clappia for Calculators blog for advanced formula usage.
• Time Zones: Currently, timezone adjustments should be handled externally or via workflow automation nodes for complex scenarios. Learn more about workflow nodes in the Unlocking Efficiency with Workflow Nodes blog.
• Validation: Add logic validations to ensure time selected correlates logically with the date (e.g., not future time). Validation logic is covered in the Calculations & Logic section.
• Export Formats: The combined field can be exported or sent to external integrations. Ensure you configure Workplace Preferences under Date/Time for consistent formats during exports, as described in the Workplace Settings guide.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Date and Time showing separately: This is expected since Clappia uses separate blocks. Use formula blocks to unify. See troubleshooting tips in the Calculation & Logic guide.
• Incorrect format in exports: Check Workplace Date/Time preferences override global formats applied to all apps.
• Calculations not working: Verify your formula syntax carefully when combining date and time values. Use supported date/time functions documented in the Calculations & Logic section.
• Time input confusing users: Consider adding helper text or default values in the Time Selector block to improve usability. Explore how to enhance user inputs in the Efficient Customer Data Collection blog.

Best Practices for Implementation

• Always use both Date Selector and Time Selector blocks: Avoid trying to rely on just one for complex datetime needs.
• Standardize date/time formats in Workplace Preferences: This ensures consistent data across exports and integrations.
• Use formula blocks for data consistency: Format and validate date & time before saving or using in workflows to ensure reliability. Reference the Using Clappia for Calculators blog for guidance.
• Test extensively: Preview your app and test various date and time inputs to ensure combined values behave as expected for calculations and workflows. For testing tips, see How We Use AWS Lambda to Build a Scalable Platform.
• Document input expectations: Provide labels or helper text so users know they need to input both date and time separately.

Conclusion

Currently, Clappia does not have a single combined date-time selector block that captures both in one field. The best practice is to use both the Date Selector and Time Selector blocks side by side, then combine their values using the Calculation & Logic block. This approach is fully supported as per Clappia's official help documentation and allows you to store, use, and calculate with precise date-time values efficiently. For more ideas on leveraging Clappia’s features, explore the Clappia Features blog.

For additional details on configuring blocks and formulas, please refer to Clappia's official documentation and search for Date Selector, Time Selector, and Calculations & Logic.