Embodiments are directed towards a graphical user interface identify locations within event records with splittable timestamp information. A display of event records is provided using any of a variety of formats. A splittable timestamp selector allows a user to select one or more locations within event records as having time related information that may be split across the one or more locations, including, information based on date, time of day, day of the week, or other time information. Any of a plurality of mechanisms is used to associate the selected locations with the split timestamp information, including tags, labels, or header information within the event records. In other embodiments, a separate table, list, index, or the like may be generated that associates the selected locations with the split timestamp information. The split timestamp information may be used within extraction rules for selecting subsets or the event records.