Appendix D: Utility Tokens & Extended Syntax
Utility Tokens
Utility tokens resolve system-level runtime values (current server date and time). All utility tokens begin with the prefix UTIL.:
| Token Name | Description | Output Example |
|---|---|---|
$$UTIL.DATE$$ |
Server current date | 10/07/2026 |
$$UTIL.TIME$$ |
Server current time | 14:25:00 |
$$UTIL.DATE_TIME$$ |
Server combined date & time | 10/07/2026 14:25:00 |
Token Extended Syntax
When working with multi-valued tokens (such as MESSAGE.TRACKING_KEY, MESSAGE.BARCODE, MESSAGE.RECIPIENT_LIST, or USER.LIST.*) or when formatting dates, use the Extended Syntax:
$$$$\langle\text{token name}\rangle \mid \langle\text{array index}\rangle \mid \langle\text{separator}\rangle \mid \langle\text{format}\rangle$$$
$$TOKEN_NAME|INDEX|SEPARATOR|FORMAT$$
Parameter Reference
- Token Name: Name of the token without delimiters (e.g.,
MESSAGE.TRACKING_KEY). - Array Index: 0-based integer pointing to the specific item. The first element is index
0. Leave blank to output all values. - Separator: Delimiter used to concatenate multi-valued arrays (e.g.,
,or;). - Format: Custom date, time, or numerical formatting pattern.
Practical Examples
Example 1: Retrieve 2nd Tracking Key in Array
To extract only the second tracking key (index 1) from a message:
$$MESSAGE.TRACKING_KEY|1|,|$$
Example 2: Explicit Date Formatting
To format the message creation date explicitly as YYYY-MM-DD:
$$MESSAGE.CREATE_DATE|||yyyy-MM-dd$$
Supported Date & Time Formats
| Category | Format Specifier | Output Example |
|---|---|---|
| Date | yyyy-MM-dd |
2026-10-07 |
MM/dd/yyyy |
10/07/2026 |
|
dd-MM-yyyy |
07-10-2026 |
|
yyyy/MM/dd |
2026/10/07 |
|
| Time | hh:mm:ss tt |
02:25:30 PM (12-hour AM/PM) |
HH:mm:ss |
14:25:30 (24-hour military) |
|
hh:mm:ss t |
02:25:30 P |