---
schema_version: "1"
id: 60f6b3e21b6f7b2d94d70f0de841a537c5b26911871dc22de3d1f37a7584dbf3
title: NOW
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/platform/264-0-0/customize_functions_now.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.customize_functions_now.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: fa360da17ae0bd94561128e7ae9bac2570528aa62f5619567aa1ac592bbd5d5d
description: Returns a date/time representing the current moment.
products:
  - Salesforce Platform
  - Security
release: "264"
---
# NOW

Returns a date/time representing the current moment.

## Use

`NOW()`

## Tips

- Do not remove the parentheses.
- Keep the parentheses empty. They do not need to contain a value.
- Use a date/time field in a NOW function instead of a date field. Created Date and Last Modified Date are date/time fields whereas Last Activity Date is a date field.
- Use [TODAY](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.customize_functions_today.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Returns the current date as a date data type.") if you prefer to use a date field.
- Dates and times are always calculated using the user’s time zone.
- Use addition and subtraction operators with a NOW function and other date/time fields to return a number representing a number of days. For example `NOW() - CreatedDate` calculates the number of days since the created date of a record. In this example, the formula field data type is a number.
- Use addition and subtraction operators with a NOW function and numbers to return a date and time. For example `NOW() +5` calculates the date and time five days ahead of now. In this example, the formula field data type is a date/time.

![Open Lead Example](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-platform-extend_click-264-0-0-production-enus/5f7d9219-b7b1-4552-8891-f1aba9b289fc/images/icon_example.png)

Open Lead Example

`IF(ISPICKVAL(Status, "Open"), ROUND(NOW()-CreatedDate, 0), null)`

This formula checks to see if a lead is open and if so, calculates the number of days it has been open by subtracting the date and time created from the current date and time. The result is the number of days open rounded to zero decimal places. If the lead is not open, this field is blank.