Now

Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
`useContextTime`	string \| boolean \| number	No	When `true`, returns the time the triggering send or activity was initiated. When `false` or omitted, returns the current system clock time. Also accepts number `0` / `1` and the strings `"true"` / `"false"`.

On a CloudPage there is no triggering send or activity timestamp, so Now(true) returns a current-time Date just like the omitted and false forms.

Show test script

<script runat="server">
Platform.Load("core", "1.1.5");

/*
 * Chapter: Parameters — Now([useContextTime])
 *
 * Proves:
 *   1. Zero-argument, false, and true forms each return a Date snapshot.
 *   2. On a CloudPage, Now(true)/Now(false)/omitted are all within one
 *      second of the request clock (context control, not "true is ignored
 *      in sends").
 *   3. TYPE-ACCEPTANCE: useContextTime also accepts number 0/1 and the
 *      strings "true"/"false", each returning a Date within one second of
 *      the request clock (same meaningful CloudPage result as boolean).
 *   4. DEV: surplus arity (2+) is silently IGNORED on the bare form
 *      (still returns a Date). Platform.Function.Now throws on arity 2+.
 *      Documented contract remains max_args 1.
 *
 * NON-ASSERTABLE: triggered-send context selection for Now(true) when the
 * initiation timestamp differs from current time — no triggering send on
 * this CloudPage. NON-ASSERTABLE.
 *
 * EXPECTED OUTPUT: every line starts with PASS.
 */

function assert(id, actual, expected) {
    Platform.Response.Write((actual === expected ? "PASS " : "FAIL ") + id + " -> [" + actual + "]\n");
}
function assertThrows(id, fn) {
    var threw = false, msg = "";
    try { fn(); } catch (ex) { threw = true; msg = "" + ex.message; }
    Platform.Response.Write((threw ? "PASS " : "FAIL ") + id + " -> " + (threw ? "threw: " + msg : "did NOT throw") + "\n");
}

var omitted = Now();
var explicitFalse = Now(false);
var explicitTrue = Now(true);
var requestClock = new Date();
assert("zero-argument Now() returns a Date", omitted.constructor === Date ? "true" : "false", "true");
assert("Now(false) returns a Date", explicitFalse.constructor === Date ? "true" : "false", "true");
assert("Now(true) returns a Date", explicitTrue.constructor === Date ? "true" : "false", "true");
assert("omitted and false forms are within one second", Math.abs(explicitFalse.getTime() - omitted.getTime()) <= 1000 ? "true" : "false", "true");
assert("CloudPage control: Now(true) is within one second of the request clock", Math.abs(explicitTrue.getTime() - requestClock.getTime()) <= 1000 ? "true" : "false", "true");

var from0 = Now(0);
var from1 = Now(1);
assert("counterpart number 0 returns a Date", from0.constructor === Date ? "true" : "false", "true");
assert("counterpart number 1 returns a Date", from1.constructor === Date ? "true" : "false", "true");
assert("number 0 path within one second of omitted", Math.abs(from0.getTime() - omitted.getTime()) <= 1000 ? "true" : "false", "true");
assert("number 1 path within one second of request clock", Math.abs(from1.getTime() - requestClock.getTime()) <= 1000 ? "true" : "false", "true");

var fromFalseStr = Now("false");
var fromTrueStr = Now("true");
assert("counterpart string \"false\" returns a Date", fromFalseStr.constructor === Date ? "true" : "false", "true");
assert("counterpart string \"true\" returns a Date", fromTrueStr.constructor === Date ? "true" : "false", "true");
assert("string \"false\" path within one second of request clock", Math.abs(fromFalseStr.getTime() - requestClock.getTime()) <= 1000 ? "true" : "false", "true");
assert("string \"true\" path within one second of request clock", Math.abs(fromTrueStr.getTime() - requestClock.getTime()) <= 1000 ? "true" : "false", "true");

var surplus2 = Now(false, "extra");
var surplus3 = Now(false, "extra", "more");
assert("DEV surplus arity 2 ignored - still Date (PF throws)", surplus2.constructor === Date ? "true" : "false", "true");
assert("DEV surplus arity 3 ignored - still Date (PF throws)", surplus3.constructor === Date ? "true" : "false", "true");
assert("DEV surplus arity 2 still near request clock (PF throws)", Math.abs(surplus2.getTime() - requestClock.getTime()) <= 1000 ? "true" : "false", "true");
assertThrows("Platform.Function.Now arity 2 throws", function () {
    return Platform.Function.Now(false, "extra");
});
assertThrows("Platform.Function.Now arity 3 throws", function () {
    return Platform.Function.Now(false, "extra", "more");
});
</script>

Description

Now() is the bare-name Core-library form of Platform.Function.Now(). It requires Platform.Load("core", "1.1.5") before use — the bare name is undefined until the load has run.

It returns the same kind of value as Platform.Function.Now(): a Date object, with the same optional useContextTime parameter. Surplus arguments beyond the documented maximum of one are silently ignored on the bare form; the qualified form throws if more than one argument is passed. Prefer Platform.Function.Now() when you do not already have a Platform.Load call in scope.

Show test script

<script runat="server">
/*
 * Chapter: Description — bare-name Core form of Platform.Function.Now.
 *
 * Proves:
 *   1. Before Platform.Load the bare name Now is undefined; invoking it
 *      throws. typeof is resolved inside a thunk so an unbound global
 *      cannot abort the page.
 *   2. Platform.Function.Now works without Platform.Load.
 *   3. After Platform.Load("core", "1.1.5") Now is a function and a
 *      successful call is the existence proof.
 *   4. Bare and qualified forms return equivalent Date snapshots within
 *      one second (including the true parameter form).
 *   5. DEV: surplus arguments are silently IGNORED on the bare form;
 *      Platform.Function.Now throws on arity 2+. Documented max_args
 *      remains 1. (Page previously claimed identical behaviour.)
 *
 * NON-ASSERTABLE: triggered-send Now(true) selection — CloudPage GET has
 * no initiation timestamp. NON-ASSERTABLE.
 *
 * EXPECTED OUTPUT: every line starts with PASS.
 */

function assert(id, actual, expected) {
    Platform.Response.Write((actual === expected ? "PASS " : "FAIL ") + id + " -> [" + actual + "]\n");
}
function assertThrows(id, fn) {
    var threw = false, msg = "";
    try { fn(); } catch (ex) { threw = true; msg = "" + ex.message; }
    Platform.Response.Write((threw ? "PASS " : "FAIL ") + id + " -> " + (threw ? "threw: " + msg : "did NOT throw") + "\n");
}
function typeOfThunk(fn) {
    try { return "" + fn(); } catch (ex) { return "THREW:" + ("" + ex.message); }
}

assert("before load typeof Now is undefined", typeOfThunk(function () { return typeof Now; }), "undefined");
assertThrows("before load Now() throws", function () { return Now(); });
var qualifiedBefore = Platform.Function.Now();
assert("Platform.Function.Now works before Platform.Load", qualifiedBefore.constructor === Date ? "true" : "false", "true");

Platform.Load("core", "1.1.5");
assert("after load typeof Now is function", typeOfThunk(function () { return typeof Now; }), "function");

var bareCurrent = Now();
var qualifiedCurrent = Platform.Function.Now();
assert("bare-name Now() returns a Date", bareCurrent.constructor === Date ? "true" : "false", "true");
assert("bare and qualified current-time forms are within one second", Math.abs(bareCurrent.getTime() - qualifiedCurrent.getTime()) <= 1000 ? "true" : "false", "true");
assert("bare and qualified true forms are within one second", Math.abs(Now(true).getTime() - Platform.Function.Now(true).getTime()) <= 1000 ? "true" : "false", "true");

var withExtra = Now(false, "x");
assert("DEV surplus 1 extra arg ignored - still Date (PF throws)", withExtra.constructor === Date ? "true" : "false", "true");
assertThrows("Platform.Function.Now(false, \"x\") throws", function () {
    return Platform.Function.Now(false, "x");
});
</script>

Return value

Returns a Date object (runtime typeof is "object", Object.prototype.toString reports [object Date], .constructor === Date, with working Date accessors such as getFullYear(), getMonth(), and getTime() — identical to new Date()). The one anomaly is that instanceof Date returns false, due to the engine-wide instanceof-on-builtins bug — test with .constructor === Date, not instanceof. The time is in the SFMC account’s configured timezone (Central by default). When concatenated to a string it coerces to an RFC 2822-style value such as "Tue, 21 Jul 2026 10:18:24 GMT-06:00".

Differs from official Salesforce docs

The official docs describe the return as an RFC 2822-compliant date-time string, but the runtime returns a Date object; it only appears as an RFC 2822 string when coerced during output.

Show test script

<script runat="server">
Platform.Load("core", "1.1.5");

/*
 * Chapter: Return value — Date object identity and accessors.
 * Also covers the differs-from-docs claim (Date object, not an RFC string):
 * .indexOf throws on the raw Date; raw Date !== its concat string.
 *
 * Proves:
 *   1. DEV: returns a genuine Date object, not the RFC 2822 string the
 *      official docs declare — typeof object, [object Date] tag,
 *      .constructor === Date; .indexOf throws on the raw return;
 *      raw value !== its "" + concat form.
 *   2. Date accessors work: getFullYear, getMonth, getTime; valueOf
 *      agrees with getTime.
 *   3. ANOMALY: instanceof Date is false (engine-wide); .constructor ===
 *      Date is the workaround (also false for new Date()).
 *   4. Concatenation ("" + value) yields a non-empty RFC-like string that
 *      contains the Date's year.
 *   5. A captured Now() snapshot is stable; a separate later call is
 *      monotonic and stays near new Date().
 *
 * EXPECTED OUTPUT: every line starts with PASS.
 */

function assert(id, actual, expected) {
    Platform.Response.Write((actual === expected ? "PASS " : "FAIL ") + id + " -> [" + actual + "]\n");
}
function assertThrows(id, fn) {
    var threw = false, msg = "";
    try { fn(); } catch (ex) { threw = true; msg = "" + ex.message; }
    Platform.Response.Write((threw ? "PASS " : "FAIL ") + id + " -> " + (threw ? "threw: " + msg : "did NOT throw") + "\n");
}

var captured = Now();

assert("DEV typeof Now() is object (official docs: string)", "" + (typeof captured), "object");
assert("DEV Object.prototype.toString reports [object Date] (official docs: string)", "" + Object.prototype.toString.call(captured), "[object Date]");
assert("DEV .constructor === Date (official docs: string)", captured.constructor === Date ? "true" : "false", "true");
assert("DEV raw value is not a string (official docs: string)", (typeof captured === "string") ? "true" : "false", "false");
assertThrows("DEV .indexOf() throws on the raw return (official docs: string)", function () {
    return captured.indexOf("" + captured.getFullYear());
});

assert("getFullYear() returns a number", "" + (typeof captured.getFullYear()), "number");
assert("getMonth() returns a number", "" + (typeof captured.getMonth()), "number");
assert("getTime() returns a number", "" + (typeof captured.getTime()), "number");
assert("valueOf() agrees with getTime()", captured.valueOf() === captured.getTime() ? "true" : "false", "true");
assert("getMilliseconds() is in 0..999", captured.getMilliseconds() >= 0 && captured.getMilliseconds() <= 999 ? "true" : "false", "true");

assert("ANOMALY Now() instanceof Date is false", captured instanceof Date ? "true" : "false", "false");
assert("ANOMALY new Date() instanceof Date is likewise false", new Date() instanceof Date ? "true" : "false", "false");
assert("workaround Now().constructor === Date", captured.constructor === Date ? "true" : "false", "true");
assert("workaround new Date().constructor === Date", new Date().constructor === Date ? "true" : "false", "true");

var concatForm = "" + captured;
assert("concatenation yields a non-empty string", concatForm.length > 0 ? "true" : "false", "true");
assert("concat form includes the Date object's year", concatForm.indexOf("" + captured.getFullYear()) >= 0 ? "true" : "false", "true");
assert("raw result is not strictly equal to its concat form", captured === concatForm ? "true" : "false", "false");

var capturedMs = captured.getTime();
var controlStart = new Date().getTime();
var controlNow = controlStart;
while (controlNow - controlStart < 40) {
    controlNow = new Date().getTime();
}
var later = Now();
assert("a captured Now() value remains stable after the control clock advances", captured.getTime(), capturedMs);
assert("the new Date() control advanced by at least 40 ms", controlNow - controlStart >= 40 ? "true" : "false", "true");
assert("a separate later Now() call is monotonic", later.getTime() >= capturedMs ? "true" : "false", "true");
assert("the separate later Now() call remains close to new Date()", Math.abs(later.getTime() - new Date().getTime()) <= 1000 ? "true" : "false", "true");
</script>

Example

Platform.Load("core", "1.1.5");
var current = Now();          // e.g. "Tue, 21 Jul 2026 10:18:24 GMT-06:00"
Write(current.getFullYear()); // 2026

Show test script

<script runat="server">
Platform.Load("core", "1.1.5");

/*
 * Chapter: Example — Platform.Load then var current = Now(); Write(current.getFullYear());
 *
 * Proves:
 *   1. The documented example pattern yields a Date (not a preformatted
 *      string) whose getFullYear() returns a number.
 *   2. The year is a 4-digit number in a plausible modern range (no
 *      absolute timestamp literal).
 *   3. "" + current is a non-empty RFC-like form containing that year.
 *
 * EXPECTED OUTPUT: every line starts with PASS.
 */

function assert(id, actual, expected) {
    Platform.Response.Write((actual === expected ? "PASS " : "FAIL ") + id + " -> [" + actual + "]\n");
}

var current = Now();
assert("example current is a Date", current.constructor === Date ? "true" : "false", "true");
assert("example typeof current.getFullYear() is number", "" + (typeof current.getFullYear()), "number");
var year = current.getFullYear();
assert("example getFullYear() is a 4-digit year", (year >= 1000 && year <= 9999) ? "true" : "false", "true");
var written = "" + current;
assert("example concat form is non-empty", written.length > 0 ? "true" : "false", "true");
assert("example concat form includes getFullYear()", written.indexOf("" + year) >= 0 ? "true" : "false", "true");
</script>

Syntax

Parameters

Description

Return value

Example

See Also

See Also