Make.com - Relative dates (13h ago) into ISO date and vice versa

How to Convert Relative Time to ISO Format Using ChatGPT

Ever scraped data and got annoying "2 days ago" instead of actual dates? Here's how to fix that using ChatGPT.

Check the YT video for step by step instructions.

The Problem

When scraping posts, you often get relative time like "1 day ago" or "3 days ago". This becomes useless when you need to store or analyze the data later.

The Solution

We'll use ChatGPT to convert these relative times into proper ISO format dates. Here's how:

First, establish today's date in your system

Create a ChatGPT prompt with specific formatting rules

Feed it the relative times and get exact dates back

The ChatGPT Prompt

Here's the exact prompt I use:

"You're a helpful assistant intelligent date conversion mathematician. Only answer with the date in format YYYY-MM-DD"

Setting Up The System Date

Tell ChatGPT what "today" means in your system. This is crucial for accurate calculations.

For example:

Today = 2024-01-26

"3 days ago" = 2024-01-23

"20 hours ago" = 2024-01-25

Real World Example

Let's say we're scraping on January 26th:

Post shows "5 days ago"

ChatGPT calculates: 2024-01-21

Verification: Checked against original post - matches perfectly

FAQ

Q: Can't we just do this mathematically?

A: Yes, but ChatGPT makes it simpler and handles edge cases better

Q: What if the scraping runs over multiple days?

A: Always pass the current system date to ensure accuracy

Q: Which ChatGPT version works best?

A: I use GPT-4 via OpenRouter, but GPT-3.5 should work too

Alternative Solutions

You could also:

Find a scraper that gives exact timestamps

Use a date parsing library

Build your own date calculator

But ChatGPT offers the quickest, most flexible solution.

Next Steps

Try this in your own scraping projects. If you need help with automations or have questions, email me at Adrian@timehackerslab(*dot)com

Remember: Always verify the converted dates against your source data first!