## Syntax
```mermaid
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'themeVariables': {
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flowchart LR
Start((START)) --> SYSDATE[SYSDATE]:::quoted
SYSDATE --> parenthesisClose
Start((START)) --> GETDATE[GETDATE]:::quoted
GETDATE --> parenthesisClose
Start((START)) --> SYSDATETIME[SYSDATETIME]:::quoted
SYSDATETIME --> parenthesisClose["()"]:::quoted
parenthesisClose --> End((END))
```
## Purpose
The `NOW` SQL function returns the time of the system clock in local time at the device where Invantive UniversalSQL runs.
See also [[UTC]].
Returns: current date/time.
## Examples
The following example retrieves the current system date/time in local time as text; the actual value differs per invocation:
```sql
select to_char(sysdate, 'YYYY-MM-DD HH24:MI:SS')
-------------------
2026-07-03 09:15:27
```
The following example retrieves the current system date/time in local time using the alias `now()`:
```sql
select to_char(now(), 'YYYYMMDD')
-------------------
20260703
```