# Using variable in timefilter

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/using-variable-in-timefilter/265528>\
**Category:** Kibana\
**Tags:** canvas\
**Created:** [February 25, 2021, 6:46pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/using-variable-in-timefilter/265528 "2021-02-25T18:46:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mike\_Clarke](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/mike_clarke/32/87948_2.png) [@Mike\_Clarke](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Mike_Clarke)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 6:46pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/using-variable-in-timefilter/265528/1 "2021-02-25T18:46:02Z")

</div>

I am attempting to use a variable defined in the workpad in the `timefilter` but I can't seem to figure it out.

```auto
timefilter column="dates.createDate" from="now-{var \"query_timeframe\"}h" to="now"
```

Use of the variable does work in Markdown.

```auto
| markdown {context} " Errored queries in " {var "query_timeframe"} " hrs"
```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![wylie](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/wylie/32/81794_2.png) [@wylie](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/wylie)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 7:06pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/using-variable-in-timefilter/265528/2 "2021-02-25T19:06:17Z")

</div>

You can't put expressions in strings. You _can_ construct concatenated strings. So try this:

```auto
timefilter column="dates.createDate" from={string "now-" {var "query_timeframe"} "h"} to="now"

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mike\_Clarke](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/mike_clarke/32/87948_2.png) [@Mike\_Clarke](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Mike_Clarke)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 7:24pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/using-variable-in-timefilter/265528/3 "2021-02-25T19:24:22Z")

</div>

That did it. Thanks again!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 7:25pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/using-variable-in-timefilter/265528/4 "2021-03-25T19:25:21Z")

</div>

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