How to retrieve seconds from datetime function?

Question

We use survey123 for field teams to collect data while in the field, and seconds are crucial for some of our surveys.

I need to get a value for seconds when field teams click the prompt for the datetime type function (would need MON DD YYYY HH:MM:SS). It seems to only record MON DD YYYY HH:MM, with no seconds value. I have been unsuccessful in finding information about whether the second value is generated (and just rounded to minutes after it's retrieved), or not generated at all. Is there a way that I can get this function to provide the seconds, or to generate the seconds when that button is pressed (in another function), and add the seconds on to the generated value?

Vinzafy · Accepted Answer

Unfortunately I haven't had much experience with reporting seconds for surveys, but I did a bit of testing in my sandbox environment.

As you experienced, the now() function captures the date and time for when the survey is first triggered so though it could work for the start time, it wouldn't work for the end time. Additionally, now() seems to round up to the closest minute and doesn't record seconds.

However when a user interacts with a dateTime field, it should default to the date and time they triggered that field down to the millisecond (GIF below). So when a user is starting the survey, you could instruct them to tap the dateTime question which would automatically record the date and time. A conditional note field could appear to remind them to trigger the field.

Then when they're finished, have the user interact with another dateTime question for end time (making it required would likely help) which would then record the end date and time to the millisecond.

I'm sure there are better solutions out there, but unfortunately that's all I can think of for the time being.

AshleyN · Accepted Answer

That's interesting! I've been having it work the opposite way, with the dateTime question type always returning 00 in the seconds place, and the now() calculation returning true values for the seconds place (but only generates a value for the instant that the survey is opened).

I've tried:

typenamelabelcalculationdateTimedate_time_startdate_time_start notedate_time_start_displaydate_time_start_displayformat-date-time(${date_time_start},'%Y/%m/%d %H:%M:%S')

or with note being a "calculation" question type. But that always gives me 00 in the seconds spot.

now() seems to give me true seconds (such as 34, not 00), but only once. Odd!

I kind of found a workaround in using:

Survey tab  typenamelabelcalculationselect_one date_time_twodate_time_twodate_time_two hiddendate_time_two_calcdate_time_two_calcif(${date_time_two} = 'Get time',now(),0)notedate_time_two_displaydate_time_two_displayformat-date-time(${date_time_two_calc},'%Y/%m/%d %H:%M:%S')     choices tab  list_namenamelabel date_time_twoGet timeGet time

This unfortunately makes me have to create a separate button from the dateTime question, but does generate the seconds value for me.

AshleyN · Accepted Answer

I think we have a good solution between two things here.. the above and this:

I talked with another person on our team about this - we found that the following format returns true seconds values only if you use the survey123 app. If you try to use the web version, you will only get 00. So, if you need to use the web version it's best to opt for creating your own button for this. I think it might also be key to put this in as a text question type, it was being weird for me if I tried to do it as a calculate type previously.

typenamelabelcalculationdateTimedate_time_startdate_time_start textdate_time_start_displaydate_time_start_displayformat-date-time(${date_time_start},'%Y/%m/%d %H:%M:%S')