Add “date_added” field to tags on objects #11664

New Issue

adam · 2025-12-29T21:48:15+01:00

adam commented

2025-12-29 21:48:15 +01:00

Originally created by @rizlas on GitHub (Sep 29, 2025).

NetBox version

v4.4.1

Feature type

Data model extension

Proposed functionality

Add a date_added field to the tag relationship of all objects in NetBox. Currently, tags are attached to objects (devices, circuits, IPs, etc.) without any record of when the tag was added. With this enhancement, the API response for an object’s tags would include the date the tag was assigned, for example:

"tags": [
    {
        "id": 415,
        "url": "https://netbox/api/extras/tags/415/",
        "display_url": "https://netbox/extras/tags/415/",
        "display": "Inventory",
        "name": "Inventory",
        "slug": "inventory",
        "color": "9e9e9e",
        "date_added": "2025-09-29T10:15:00Z"
    }
]

This allows for more informed automation and reporting based on the age of tags.

Use case

Automations that need to act on objects only after a tag has been present for a certain time. (e.g. deletion)
Enabling workflows that depend on the lifecycle of tags rather than just their presence.

Database changes

date_added field to Tag model

External dependencies

No response

Originally created by @rizlas on GitHub (Sep 29, 2025). ### NetBox version v4.4.1 ### Feature type Data model extension ### Proposed functionality Add a date_added field to the tag relationship of all objects in NetBox. Currently, tags are attached to objects (devices, circuits, IPs, etc.) without any record of when the tag was added. With this enhancement, the API response for an object’s tags would include the date the tag was assigned, for example: ```json "tags": [ { "id": 415, "url": "https://netbox/api/extras/tags/415/", "display_url": "https://netbox/extras/tags/415/", "display": "Inventory", "name": "Inventory", "slug": "inventory", "color": "9e9e9e", "date_added": "2025-09-29T10:15:00Z" } ] ``` This allows for more informed automation and reporting based on the age of tags. ### Use case - Automations that need to act on objects only after a tag has been present for a certain time. (e.g. deletion) - Enabling workflows that depend on the lifecycle of tags rather than just their presence. ### Database changes `date_added` field to Tag model ### External dependencies _No response_

adam added the type: feature label 2025-12-29 21:48:15 +01:00

adam closed this issue

2025-12-29 21:48:16 +01:00

adam commented

2025-12-29 21:48:16 +01:00

@jnovinger commented on GitHub (Oct 2, 2025):

The information you need is already available through change logging, it just requires querying the changelog. Adding timestamp tracking to tags pushes too much application logic into NetBox when this kind of time-based automation is better handled outside the system.

@jnovinger commented on GitHub (Oct 2, 2025): The information you need is already available through change logging, it just requires querying the changelog. Adding timestamp tracking to tags pushes too much application logic into NetBox when this kind of time-based automation is better handled outside the system.

adam commented

2025-12-29 21:48:17 +01:00

@jeremystretch commented on GitHub (Oct 2, 2025):

Adding timestamp tracking to tags pushes too much application logic into NetBox when this kind of time-based automation is better handled outside the system.

To add, it's not a pattern we want to introduce, as it's unique to many-to-many assignments. (For instance, how would you track the time a comparable ForeignKey field is changed, given that there is no intermediate model?) You might also consider employing event rules & webhooks to trigger events as needed.

@jeremystretch commented on GitHub (Oct 2, 2025): > Adding timestamp tracking to tags pushes too much application logic into NetBox when this kind of time-based automation is better handled outside the system. To add, it's not a pattern we want to introduce, as it's unique to many-to-many assignments. (For instance, how would you track the time a comparable ForeignKey field is changed, given that there is no intermediate model?) You might also consider employing event rules & webhooks to trigger events as needed.

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Branches Tags

main

21102-fix-graphiql-explorer

update-changelog-comments-docs

20911-dropdown

20239-plugin-menu-classes-mutable-state

21097-graphql-id-lookups

feature

fix_module_substitution

20923-dcim-templates

20044-elevation-stuck-lightmode

feature-ip-prefix-link

v4.5-beta1-release

20068-import-moduletype-attrs

20766-fix-german-translation-code-literals

20378-del-script

7604-filter-modifiers-v3

circuit-swap

12318-case-insensitive-uniqueness

20637-improve-device-q-filter

20660-script-load

19724-graphql

20614-update-ruff

14884-script

02496-max-page

19720-macaddress-interface-generic-relation

19408-circuit-terminations-export-templates

20203-openapi-check

fix-19669-api-image-download

7604-filter-modifiers

19275-fixes-interface-bulk-edit

fix-17794-get_field_value_return_list

11507-show-aggregate-and-rir-on-api

9583-add_column_specific_search_field_to_tables

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Reference: starred/netbox#11664