---
title: Timestamp
description: The timestamp processor parses a timestamp from a field. By default the timestamp processor writes the parsed result to the @timestamp field. You can...
url: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/2659/reference/beats/winlogbeat/processor-timestamp
products:
  - Beats
  - Winlogbeat
applies_to:
  - Elastic Cloud Serverless: Beta
  - Elastic Stack: Beta
---

# Timestamp
<warning>
  This functionality is in beta and is subject to change. The design and code is less mature than official GA features and is being provided as-is with no warranties. Beta features are not subject to the support SLA of official GA features.
</warning>

The `timestamp` processor parses a timestamp from a field. By default the timestamp processor writes the parsed result to the `@timestamp` field. You can specify a different field by setting the `target_field` parameter. The timestamp value is parsed according to the `layouts` parameter. Multiple layouts can be specified and they will be used sequentially to attempt parsing the timestamp field.
<note>
  The timestamp layouts used by this processor are different than the formats supported by date processors in Logstash and Elasticsearch Ingest Node.
</note>

The `layouts` are described using a reference time that is based on this specific time:
```
Mon Jan 2 15:04:05 MST 2006
```

Since MST is GMT-0700, the reference time is:
```
01/02 03:04:05PM '06 -0700
```

To define your own layout, rewrite the reference time in a format that matches the timestamps you expect to parse. For more layout examples and details see the [Go time package documentation](https://godoc.org/time#pkg-constants).
If a layout does not contain a year then the current year in the specified `timezone` is added to the time value.

| Name             | Required | Default    | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|------------------|----------|------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `field`          | yes      |            | Source field containing the time to be parsed.                                                                                                                                                              |
| `target_field`   | no       | @timestamp | Target field for the parsed time value. The target value is always written as UTC.                                                                                                                          |
| `layouts`        | yes      |            | Timestamp layouts that define the expected time value format. In addition layouts, `UNIX` and `UNIX_MS` are accepted.                                                                                       |
| `timezone`       | no       | UTC        | IANA time zone name (e.g. `America/New_York`) or fixed time offset (e.g. `+0200`) to use when parsing times that do not contain a time zone. `Local` may be specified to use the machine’s local time zone. |
| `ignore_missing` | no       | false      | Ignore errors when the source field is missing.                                                                                                                                                             |
| `ignore_failure` | no       | false      | Ignore all errors produced by the processor.                                                                                                                                                                |
| `test`           | no       |            | A list of timestamps that must parse successfully when loading the processor.                                                                                                                               |
| `id`             | no       |            | An identifier for this processor instance. Useful for debugging.                                                                                                                                            |

Here is an example that parses the `start_time` field and writes the result to the `@timestamp` field then deletes the `start_time` field. When the processor is loaded, it will immediately validate that the two `test` timestamps parse with this configuration.
```yaml
processors:
  - timestamp:
      field: start_time
      layouts:
        - '2006-01-02T15:04:05Z'
        - '2006-01-02T15:04:05.999Z'
        - '2006-01-02T15:04:05.999-07:00'
      test:
        - '2019-06-22T16:33:51Z'
        - '2019-11-18T04:59:51.123Z'
        - '2020-08-03T07:10:20.123456+02:00'
  - drop_fields:
      fields: [start_time]
```