# Drop down box default to this month

**URL:** <https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/drop-down-box-default-to-this-month/8481>\
**Category:** Ignition\
**Created:** [May 21, 2014, 5:16pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/drop-down-box-default-to-this-month/8481 "2014-05-21T17:16:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Henry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df705f/32.png) [@Henry](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Henry)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 5:16pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/drop-down-box-default-to-this-month/8481/1 "2014-05-21T17:16:33Z")

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I log energy demand data to a SQL table. I have a dataset which holds my monthly power bill start and stop dates. I use these dates to query for max energy draw during the selected billing cycle. The question is how do I make the drop down box default this month’s billing cycle when the screen is opened , but also allow user to select a different date?

Thanks

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**Author:** ![CPowell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a183cd/32.png) [@CPowell](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/CPowell)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 5:54pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/drop-down-box-default-to-this-month/8481/2 "2014-08-13T17:54:50Z")

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Add the code to the Date binding:

```auto
dateArithmetic(now(0),-1, "month")
```

If you just use now(), it will keep updating.

Cheers,  
Chris