Timestamp Parser

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This app parses the timestamp of each event that comes in to PostHog and adds the following time-based properties:

PropertyDescriptionExample
day_of_the_weekPlain text value for the day of the weekMonday
dayNumeric value for the day within a month7
monthNumeric value corresponding to the current month6 (June)
yearNumeric value of the year2022
hourNumeric value for the hour in UTC (24-hour clock)21
minuteNumeric value for the minute37

Example event

Here is an example of what these properties look like after they have been added to an event.

event with timestamp properties added

Installation

PostHog Cloud

PostHog Cloud users can find the app here and click on the toggle to enable the app. Once the app has been enabled, it will automatically start parsing all new events which come in to PostHog.

PostHog Self-hosted

The Timestamp Parser requires a PostHog instance running version 1.30.0 or later. Not running 1.30.0? Find out how to update.

  1. Visit the 'Apps' page in your instance of PostHog.
  2. Search for 'Timestamp Parser'.
  3. Click on the toggle to enable the app.

Any new events that come in to PostHog will now be automatically parsed!

Using the Timestamp Parser

The timestamp parser is a great tool for answering time-based questions that are sometimes very challenging to tackle with PostHog alone.

By filtering and breaking down events, we can now easily answer questions such as:

  • Do we get more purchases on weekdays or weekends?
  • Why does our traffic spike on Tuesdays?
  • How do users use our platform differently during the holiday season?
  • How does retention compare for users who join on a weekend versus a weekday?

Note: This app only works on new events sent to PostHog, and as a result you won't be able to filter events that were sent before it was enabled.

Examples

Here's an example of creating a filter in a trends insight to only show events that were send on a Saturday or Sunday.

filter for only events on Saturday or Sunday

We can also break down an insight by month to get an idea of how it varies over the course of a year.

breaking down an insight by month

Overall, the timestamp parser is a simple yet incredibly powerful app that these examples only scratch the surface on.

Have a question?

We love answering questions. Ask us anything in the company forums or using the Q&A widget at the bottom of this page.

FAQ

Who created this app?

We'd like to thank PostHog team member Yakko Majuri and community member Victor Campuzano for creating the Timestamp Parser. Thank you, both!

Who maintains this app?

This app is maintained by the community. If you have issues with the app not functioning as intended, please let us know!

What if I have feedback on this app?

We love feature requests and feedback! Please tell us what you think! to tell us what you think.

Or, if you see the feedback widget enabled, use that!

What if my question isn't answered above?

We love answering questions. Ask us anything via our community forum, or drop us a message.

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