Selecting a time period with the Time Picker

The Time Picker allows you to select a time range for the queries in a dashboard or a panel, so that only data that falls within that time range is returned. You can also use the fields described in Configuring query results section to override the values in the Time Picker for an individual panel or dashboard.

The Time Picker is:

• a time range consists of a start timestamp and an end timestamp

• specified using the Start Date, Start Time, End Date and End Time fields

• in UTC.

To open the Time Picker in the dashboard, select the Time Picker field in the dashboard itself.
To open the Time Picker in the panel, select the Time Picker field in the Edit Dashboard page.

Date Fields

• Are of the format DD/MM/YYYY

• Can be populated by typing in them

• Can be populated by selecting the calendar icon and choosing a date from the calendar UI.

• Increment by one day by selecting the right chevron

• Decrement by one day by selecting the left chevron

Time Fields

• Empty field is the same as 0

• Supports nanosecond precision if required

• Two supported formats: Absolute and Parameterised.

Absolute Format

• Can be any of the following forms:

  • hh:mm

  • hh:mm:ss

  • hh:mm:ss.123456789

• Segment after the dot represents nanoseconds and is always padded to 9 digits.
  For example: 12:53:00.5 is equal to 12:53:00.500000000

Parameterised Format

• Supports the following units:

  • d - days

  • h - hours

  • m - minutes

  • s - seconds

  • ms - milliseconds

  • us - microseconds

  • ns - nanoseconds

• Can be combined like so: 1h30m

• Units can be skipped - 1h20s would equal 1h0m20s or 01:00:20

• Magnitude is not bounded by unit - 1h30m can be expressed as 90m

• Decimal place is supported - 1h30m can be expressed as 1.5h

• Supports sign prefix - "+" or "-" - This changes behaviour when used in the End Time field - see below

General Usage

• Computed start timestamp and end timestamps are displayed to the right of the input fields

• Start Time is always relative to midnight on the selected Start Date

• End Time is relative to midnight on the selected End Date UNLESS a sign prefix is supplied

• When a sign prefix is supplied in the End Time field (delta mode):

  • The computed end timestamp is equal to Start Date + Start Time + End Time

  • End Date field is hidden, as it is not relevant in this mode

• You can adjust the timezone of the time picker (this also affects the timings displayed on the dashboard itself). See the Grafana documentation for details.

Examples