diff --git a/distfiles/functions.php b/distfiles/functions.php
index ff1e2d7..830f0b7 100644
--- a/distfiles/functions.php
+++ b/distfiles/functions.php
@@ -1000,3 +1000,31 @@ function templateselect($techid, $operation)
     </form>
     ";
 }
+
+function fix_date($datestring)
+{
+    // accepts a string as an argument
+    // returns a valid date string in the format YYYY-MM-DD
+    // if input string is not a valid date, return the current date
+    global $db, $today;
+
+    if (!$datestring) $datestring = $today;
+    $datepatt = '/^\d{4}-(?:0[1-9]|1[0-2])-(?:0[1-9]|[12]\d|3[01])$/';
+    if (!preg_match($datepatt,$datestring)) $datestring = $today;
+    $datestring = mysqli_real_escape_string($db, $datestring);
+    return $datestring;
+}
+
+function fix_time($timestring)
+{
+    // accepts a string as an argument
+    // returns a valid time string in the format HH:MM:SS
+    // if input string is not a valid time, return the current time
+    global $db, $now;
+
+    if (!$timestring) $timestring = $now;
+    $timepatt = '/^([01][0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9]:[0-5][0-9]$/';
+    if (!preg_match($timepatt,$timestring)) $timestring = $now;
+    $timestring = mysqli_real_escape_string($db, $timestring);
+    return $timestring;
+}