# How do I seed the lastExportDateTime when using a Delta export type?
**URL:** https://connective.celigo.com/t/how-do-i-seed-the-lastexportdatetime-when-using-a-delta-export-type/5219
**Category:** Integrator.io
**Created:** [August 6, 2025, 9:52pm UTC](https://connective.celigo.com/t/how-do-i-seed-the-lastexportdatetime-when-using-a-delta-export-type/5219 "2025-08-06T21:52:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Daniel\_Wilson](https://connective.celigo.com/u/Daniel_Wilson)
#### Post date: [August 6, 2025, 9:52pm UTC](https://connective.celigo.com/t/how-do-i-seed-the-lastexportdatetime-when-using-a-delta-export-type/5219/1 "2025-08-06T21:52:01Z")
When I set up a data source with a basic HTTP API and I select the Delta export type, the {{lastExportDateTime}} is a critical parameter.
But where can I set a starting value for it?
I would get some data to let me start developing my transformation if I could use an earlier date.
Thanks!
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### Author:  [@tonycurcio](https://connective.celigo.com/u/tonycurcio)
#### Post date: [August 6, 2025, 11:25pm UTC](https://connective.celigo.com/t/how-do-i-seed-the-lastexportdatetime-when-using-a-delta-export-type/5219/2 "2025-08-06T23:25:12Z")
@Daniel_Wilson … there was a discussion of a few different options on that here. Hope this helps.
> [@How to reset flow run time to restart a Delta export type](https://connective.celigo.com/t/how-to-reset-flow-run-time-to-restart-a-delta-export-type/433/5):
>
> Alternative to @scotthenderson's and @mattgraney's suggestion, which would work, you could potentially make this a bit more automated. This does assume that the global updates you are making are to fields that shouldn't every trigger the flow to send an update even if not mass updated. I had a similar use case at my last company where some fields would get updated daily, but those fields had no reason to trigger updates to external sources. First option could be to add search criteria to your …
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### Author:  [@nuriensing](https://connective.celigo.com/u/nuriensing)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2025, 10:54am UTC](https://connective.celigo.com/t/how-do-i-seed-the-lastexportdatetime-when-using-a-delta-export-type/5219/3 "2025-08-07T10:54:21Z")
You can add Handlebars expressions to the URL in Celigo to manipulate date, including using custom helpers like date add substract, as referenced in the Celigo documentation:
[Celigo dateAdd function](https://docs.celigo.com/hc/en-us/articles/360039326071-Handlebars-helper-reference#UUID-2f4906aa-ec52-ecad-e445-87629d7bcee2_id_360039326071_id_dateAdd)
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### Author:  [@Daniel\_Wilson](https://connective.celigo.com/u/Daniel_Wilson)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2025, 12:02pm UTC](https://connective.celigo.com/t/how-do-i-seed-the-lastexportdatetime-when-using-a-delta-export-type/5219/4 "2025-08-07T12:02:54Z")
OK, that looks like a promising workaround for development. Thanks!
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### Author:  [@Daniel\_Wilson](https://connective.celigo.com/u/Daniel_Wilson)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2025, 12:06pm UTC](https://connective.celigo.com/t/how-do-i-seed-the-lastexportdatetime-when-using-a-delta-export-type/5219/5 "2025-08-07T12:06:17Z")
Thanks!
The first response in that thread appears to be what I’m looking for. I’ll try to follow those instructions.
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### Author:  [@nuriensing](https://connective.celigo.com/u/nuriensing)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2025, 12:47pm UTC](https://connective.celigo.com/t/how-do-i-seed-the-lastexportdatetime-when-using-a-delta-export-type/5219/6 "2025-08-07T12:47:13Z")
@Daniel_Wilson so you mean running it manually and then selecting a custom date right?
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### Author:  [@tylerlamparter](https://connective.celigo.com/u/tylerlamparter)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2025, 2:56pm UTC](https://connective.celigo.com/t/how-do-i-seed-the-lastexportdatetime-when-using-a-delta-export-type/5219/7 "2025-08-07T14:56:35Z")
To add, typically an application won’t respond with an error when no results are found as it will just respond with an empty array or return no data with a 200 code. When this happens, we provide a pop-up to the user saying “We didn’t find anything, would you like to use a different date?” In this case, since the application is actually throwing an error back, that doesn’t occur.