Date Questions

Date questions allow respondents to select dates using a calendar picker. They ensure properly formatted date inputs and make it easy for participants to choose dates without typing.

When to Use

Use date questions to collect:

• Birth dates - “What is your date of birth?”
• Event dates - “When did you attend the conference?”
• Purchase or subscription dates - “When did you first subscribe?”
• Availability - “What date works best for your appointment?”
• Milestones - “When did you graduate?”

Configuration Options

Date Range Constraints

Set min and max to limit the selectable date range:

• Absolute dates: Use ISO format like "2025-01-01"
• Relative time: Use expressions like "now", "-1 year", "3 months"
• Examples:
  • min: "now" - Only future dates
  • max: "-18 years" - Must be 18+ years old
  • min: "-30 days" - Within the last month

Date Precision

Set accuracy to control the level of detail:

• "day" - Full date selection (default)
• "month" - Month and year only
• "year" - Year only

Common Use Cases

Age Verification

Shows a date picker for birth date, requiring users to be 18+, with allowed dates from 120 years ago up to today.

What is your date of birth? *

You must be 18 or older to participate

Pick a date

Recent Event

Lets users select a recent visit date, with options from 1 year ago up to today; answering is optional.

When did you last visit our store?

Pick a date

Future Booking

Allows users to pick an appointment date from tomorrow up to 3 months ahead; answering is required.

What is your preferred appointment date? *

We accept bookings up to 3 months in advance

Pick a date

Historical Milestone

Lets users select a graduation date from up to 50 years ago to today; month and year is sufficient, and best estimate is fine for older events.

When did you graduate from college? *

Best Practices

Set Date Ranges Appropriately

Use min/max dates to guide respondents and prevent invalid entries. You can use either absolute dates (YYYY-MM-DD) or relative time strings:

• Birth dates: max: "now", min: "-120 years"
• Future events: min: "now", max: "1 year"
• Past events: max: "now", min: "-50 years"
• Recent activity: max: "now", min: "-30 days"
• Future bookings: min: "1 day", max: "3 months"

Consider Your Use Case

Choose the right level of precision:

• For age verification - Use “What is your year of birth?” instead of full date
• For event attendance - Full date is appropriate
• For age calculations - You might only need year and month

When NOT to Use Date

Consider alternatives if:

• You only need the year - Use Number question instead
• You want relative time - Use SelectOne with options like “Last week”, “Last month”, “Last year”
• You want age ranges - Use SelectOne with categories like “18-25”, “26-35”, etc.
• You want time of day - Date questions only capture dates, not times

Tips for Better Responses

• Set appropriate min/max dates to guide respondents
• Use clear language about what date you’re asking for
• Consider memory limitations - people may not remember exact dates
• Add help text for historical or complex date questions
• For age, consider asking year only as a Number question instead