# Setting an empty date in automations **URL:** \ **Category:** Bugs & Issues\ **Created:** [May 12, 2025, 3:21pm UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/setting-an-empty-date-in-automations/8771 "2025-05-12T15:21:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RonMakesSystems](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.fibery.io/ronmakessystems/32/14122_2.png) [@RonMakesSystems](https://community.fibery.io/u/RonMakesSystems)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2025, 3:21pm UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/setting-an-empty-date-in-automations/8771/1 "2025-05-12T15:21:55Z")
I want to use either return a calculated due date or return an empty date if the fields to calculate the due date is missing. Adding an empty string is easy: “”. adding an empty relation is also not too hard: filter for true=false. (thanks for the trick Chris!). But how to add an empty date? I got a solution! But it might be a bug… Add a new formula field and give it: Date(0, 0, 0). This will then be an empty date you can reference in the automation. BUT! If you try to do this in the automation directly, it’ll throw an error: ERROR: date field value out of range: 0-00-00… So I’m not sure if the bug is the fact that this is possible in the formula field, or the fact that its not possible in the automation… ---
**Author:** ![Chr1sG](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.fibery.io/chr1sg/32/3941_2.png) [@Chr1sG](https://community.fibery.io/u/Chr1sG)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2025, 3:41pm UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/setting-an-empty-date-in-automations/8771/2 "2025-05-12T15:41:13Z")
> [@RonMakesSystems](#): > > But how to add an empty date? Not an answer to the question of what’s a bug and what’s not, but you can get an empty date in an automation formula using this workaround `Users.Filter(true=false).Sort().First().[Creation Date]` or something similar. ---
**Author:** ![RonMakesSystems](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.fibery.io/ronmakessystems/32/14122_2.png) [@RonMakesSystems](https://community.fibery.io/u/RonMakesSystems)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2025, 3:50pm UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/setting-an-empty-date-in-automations/8771/3 "2025-05-12T15:50:25Z")
You come up with the most crazy work arounds. I’ll change to this as it feels less finicky than what I suggested above. Thanks!! ---
**Author:** ![RonMakesSystems](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.fibery.io/ronmakessystems/32/14122_2.png) [@RonMakesSystems](https://community.fibery.io/u/RonMakesSystems)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 9:37am UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/setting-an-empty-date-in-automations/8771/4 "2026-03-03T09:37:13Z")
Hey! This doesn’t seem to work with a number field… ```auto Project.[Stage Trackings].Filter(Stage = [This Project Stage].Stage).Count() = 0, Project.[Stage Trackings].Filter(Stage = [This Project Stage].Stage).First().Duration, Project.[Stage Trackings].Filter(Stage = [This Project Stage].Stage).Sum(Duration) ) ``` If there’s no stage tracking, it should return null, if there it should return the sum of it. Right now its just retuning 0, even when there are no stage tracking. @Chr1sG Got any other crazy work arounds? ---
**Author:** ![Chr1sG](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.fibery.io/chr1sg/32/3941_2.png) [@Chr1sG](https://community.fibery.io/u/Chr1sG)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 9:49am UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/setting-an-empty-date-in-automations/8771/5 "2026-03-03T09:49:32Z")
`Day(Users.Filter(false).Max([Creation Date]))` 😂 ---
**Author:** ![RonMakesSystems](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.fibery.io/ronmakessystems/32/14122_2.png) [@RonMakesSystems](https://community.fibery.io/u/RonMakesSystems)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 12:41pm UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/setting-an-empty-date-in-automations/8771/6 "2026-03-03T12:41:37Z")
hahaha, this is crazy. works like charm. thanks Chris!