# How to Insert a Timestamp into a PostgreSQL Table

> The inbuilt date functions like NOW(), CURRENT_TIMESTAMP, and LOCALTIMESTAMP, are used with the INSERT statement to add the current timestamp into a Postgres t…

Postgres supports various temporal data types, such as DATE, TIMESTAMP, TIME, etc. Among them, the **TIMESTAMP** and **TIMESTAMPTZ** are used to store the date and time values with or without time zone information. A table’s column created with TIMESTAMP or TIMESTAMPTZ data type has the ability to store the current timestamp or any specific timestamp.

This Postgres blog presents a detailed guide on how to insert the current or any specific timestamp in Postgres.

 **How to Insert a Timestamp into a Postgres Table?**

The need for the **TIMESTAMP** data type arises when we have to keep/save the date and time values in a particular database. For instance, the TIMESTAMP data type can be handy in scenarios where we have to maintain the staff’s check-in and check-out record, the customer’s order placement DateTime, the flight’s arrival and departure record, etc.

 **Syntax**

Utilize the following syntax to create/define a table’s column with TIMESTAMP data type:
    
    
    CREATE TABLE tab_name(
    col_name TIMESTAMP | TIMESTAMPTZ constraint
    );

\- col_name represents a column to be defined with the TIMESTAMP data type.  
\- Use either TIMESTAMP or TIMESTMAPTZ data type.  
\- Specify the constraint of your choice such as PRIMARY KEY, CHECK, UNIQUE, etc. in place of constraint.

 **Example 1: Creating a Table Column With Timestamp**

Let’s create a sample table named staff_info with the following columns: e_id, e_name, and e_joining_date:
    
    
    CREATE TABLE staff_info(
    e_id INT PRIMARY KEY,
    e_name TEXT,
    e_joining_date TIMESTAMP
    );

The “staff_info” table with the specified columns has been successfully created.

 **Note:** Use the TIMESTAMPTZ data type instead of the TIMESTAMP to store the DateTime values along with the time zone.

 **Example 2: Inserting a Specific Timestamp Into a Postgres Table**

Use the INSERT query to insert a particular timestamp into the “staff_info” table:
    
    
    INSERT INTO staff_info(e_id, e_name, e_joining_date)
    VALUES (1, 'Joe', '2022-10-10 11:30:30');

Let’s fetch the newly inserted record via the “SELECT” command:
    
    
    SELECT * FROM staff_info;

A particular timestamp has been inserted into the staff_info table.

 **Example 3: Inserting the Current Timestamp Into a Postgres Table**

The inbuilt date functions like NOW(), CURRENT_TIMESTAMP and LOCALTIMESTAMP can be used with the INSERT statement to insert the current timestamp into a Postgres table:
    
    
    INSERT INTO staff_info(e_id, e_name, e_joining_date)
    VALUES (2, 'Natie', CURRENT_TIMESTAMP),
    (3, 'Seth', LOCALTIMESTAMP),
    (4, 'Joseph', NOW());

In the above query, three different DateTime functions are used to insert the current timestamp in the “staff_info” table:

To confirm the newly inserted records, utilize the “SELECT *” command:
    
    
    SELECT * FROM staff_info;

This way, you can insert the current timestamp into any specific Postgres table.

 **Conclusion**

In PostgreSQL, the **TIMESTAMP** and **TIMESTAMPTZ** are used to store the date and time values with or without time zone information. The inbuilt date functions like NOW(), CURRENT_TIMESTAMP, and LOCALTIMESTAMP, are used with the INSERT statement to add the current timestamp into a Postgres table. This post considered different examples to explain how we can insert a specific or current timestamp into a Postgres table.

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