How to use Dynamic Dates In Newsletters

Last updated on May 20, 2024

Introduction

Dynamic dates are particularly useful for Automated newsletters when you want to avoid any manual steps. The newsletter send date will be automatically updated, enabling users and receivers to easily view when the newsletter was sent.

You can add dynamic dates in the Headline, Table of Contents, Post list, and Footer sections in Newsletters. To display the dynamic dates feature in the Post list section, you must first activate “with headlines” on the post list edit settings form.

You can also add dynamic dates to the newsletter Distribution page, which will display the send date in the receiver's email subject line. 

There are three standard date format options available in the Dynamic Dates option dropdown. However, changing the selected formula allows you to customize how you would like to display the date. You will find several formula examples to use in the Changing the Dynamic Date format section below,

Prerequisites and User Access

Newsletter editors (owners and writers) can add dynamic dates to their newsletters in the Newsletter module.

User access to the Newsletters module requires that you are a Superuser.

How to add dynamic dates in the Header, Footer, Table of Contents, and Post-list sections

Navigate to the Newsletter module and open the Newsletter series.

1. Mouse over a Header, Footer, Table of Contents, or Post list section and select Edit in the section menu. 
   
   
2. On the Header, Footer, Table of Contents, or Post list section, Edit form: Click the Dynamic date button at the far right in the text editor toolbar.
   
   Please note that you must activate “with headlines” on the Post list edit form to enable and display the dynamic dates feature in the Post list section edit form.
   
   
3. Select one of the dynamic date options. Optionally, customize how the date is displayed by using one of the date formula examples below. Preview to make sure that your changes look good.
   
   
4. Use the available edit options to customize the dynamic date's text size, type, and position. Preview to make sure that your changes look good.
   
   
5. Click Save to save the changes.

How to add dynamic dates in the Newsletter Subject line

To display the send date in the receiver's email subject line, you can add dynamic dates to the subject line on the newsletter distribution page. 

1. Navigate to the Newsletter module and open the Newsletter series.
   
   
2. Click the Distribution tab at the top of the page to open the Distribution page.
   
   
3. Click the Dynamic date button to the right of the Subject line.
   
   
4. Select and insert one of the dynamic date options. Optionally, customize how the date is displayed by using one of the date formula examples below.
   
   
5. Optionally, you can test send a newsletter to yourself to make sure that your selected or customized dynamic dates look good:
   
   Click on Continue and then the Test Send button on the Send page.
   
   Check your email and preview how the date is displayed in the newsletter.

Changing the Dynamic Date format

Three standard send date format options are available in the Dynamic Dates option list.

%date: dd MMMM yyyy% displays the send date as this example: “16 January 2024”

%date: dd-MM-yyyy% displays the send date as this example: “16-01-2024”

%date: MMMM dd, yyyy% displays the send date as this example: “January 16, 2024

However, you can easily customize how you would like to display the date by changing the selected format formula:

• Copy one example formula below and paste it on the selected default option in the Header, Footer, Table of Contents or Post list section edit form or newsletter Subject line.
  
  
• You can also change the letters in the selected standard date format option using the options described in the Formula Representation Guide section below.

Below, you will find example formulas you can use if you would like to customize the send date format for your Newsletters. Note that the specified dates are examples.

%date: MM/dd/yyyy % displays the send date as: “01/16/2024”

%date: dddd, dd MMMM yyyy % displays the send date as: “Tuesday, 16 January 2024”

%date: MMMM dd % displays the send date as: “January 16”

%date: yyyy MMMM % displays the send date as: “2024 January”

Formula Representation Guide

Below, you will find additional information that may be useful if you want to customize your date formula.

d: Represents the day of the month as a number from 1 through 31.

dd: Represents the day of the month as a number from 01 through 31.

ddd: Represents the abbreviated name of the day (Mon, Tues, Wed, etc).

dddd: Represents the full name of the day (Monday, Tuesday, etc).

M: Month number(eg.3)

MM: Month number with leading zero(eg.04)

MMM: Abbreviated Month Name (e.g. Dec)

MMMM: Full month name (e.g. December)

y: Year, no leading zero (e.g. 2024 would be 24)

yy: Year, leading zero (e.g. 2024 would be 024)

yyy: Year, (e.g. 2024)

yyyy: Year, (e.g. 2024)

Other solutions

In manually sent Newsletters, you have the option to manually add a send date instead of using dynamic dates, but then you have to manually update the date every time the newsletter is sent.

When using dynamic dates, the date will be automatically added when you send the newsletter.