diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/alerts/server/task_runner/create_execution_handler.ts b/x-pack/plugins/alerts/server/task_runner/create_execution_handler.ts
index f49310c42c247..ccd1f6c20ba52 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/alerts/server/task_runner/create_execution_handler.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/alerts/server/task_runner/create_execution_handler.ts
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ export function createExecutionHandler({
             spaceId,
             tags,
             alertInstanceId,
+            alertActionGroup: actionGroup,
             context,
             actionParams: action.params,
             state,
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/alerts/server/task_runner/transform_action_params.test.ts b/x-pack/plugins/alerts/server/task_runner/transform_action_params.test.ts
index ddbef8e32e708..9a4cfbbca792d 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/alerts/server/task_runner/transform_action_params.test.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/alerts/server/task_runner/transform_action_params.test.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ test('skips non string parameters', () => {
     tags: ['tag-A', 'tag-B'],
     spaceId: 'spaceId-A',
     alertInstanceId: '2',
+    alertActionGroup: 'action-group',
     alertParams: {
       foo: 'test',
     },
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@ test('missing parameters get emptied out', () => {
     tags: ['tag-A', 'tag-B'],
     spaceId: 'spaceId-A',
     alertInstanceId: '2',
+    alertActionGroup: 'action-group',
     alertParams: {},
   });
   expect(result).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
@@ -77,6 +79,7 @@ test('context parameters are passed to templates', () => {
     tags: ['tag-A', 'tag-B'],
     spaceId: 'spaceId-A',
     alertInstanceId: '2',
+    alertActionGroup: 'action-group',
     alertParams: {},
   });
   expect(result).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
@@ -99,6 +102,7 @@ test('state parameters are passed to templates', () => {
     tags: ['tag-A', 'tag-B'],
     spaceId: 'spaceId-A',
     alertInstanceId: '2',
+    alertActionGroup: 'action-group',
     alertParams: {},
   });
   expect(result).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
@@ -121,6 +125,7 @@ test('alertId is passed to templates', () => {
     tags: ['tag-A', 'tag-B'],
     spaceId: 'spaceId-A',
     alertInstanceId: '2',
+    alertActionGroup: 'action-group',
     alertParams: {},
   });
   expect(result).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
@@ -143,6 +148,7 @@ test('alertName is passed to templates', () => {
     tags: ['tag-A', 'tag-B'],
     spaceId: 'spaceId-A',
     alertInstanceId: '2',
+    alertActionGroup: 'action-group',
     alertParams: {},
   });
   expect(result).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
@@ -165,6 +171,7 @@ test('tags is passed to templates', () => {
     tags: ['tag-A', 'tag-B'],
     spaceId: 'spaceId-A',
     alertInstanceId: '2',
+    alertActionGroup: 'action-group',
     alertParams: {},
   });
   expect(result).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
@@ -186,6 +193,7 @@ test('undefined tags is passed to templates', () => {
     alertName: 'alert-name',
     spaceId: 'spaceId-A',
     alertInstanceId: '2',
+    alertActionGroup: 'action-group',
     alertParams: {},
   });
   expect(result).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
@@ -208,6 +216,7 @@ test('empty tags is passed to templates', () => {
     tags: [],
     spaceId: 'spaceId-A',
     alertInstanceId: '2',
+    alertActionGroup: 'action-group',
     alertParams: {},
   });
   expect(result).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
@@ -230,6 +239,7 @@ test('spaceId is passed to templates', () => {
     tags: ['tag-A', 'tag-B'],
     spaceId: 'spaceId-A',
     alertInstanceId: '2',
+    alertActionGroup: 'action-group',
     alertParams: {},
   });
   expect(result).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
@@ -252,6 +262,7 @@ test('alertInstanceId is passed to templates', () => {
     tags: ['tag-A', 'tag-B'],
     spaceId: 'spaceId-A',
     alertInstanceId: '2',
+    alertActionGroup: 'action-group',
     alertParams: {},
   });
   expect(result).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
@@ -261,6 +272,53 @@ test('alertInstanceId is passed to templates', () => {
   `);
 });
 
+test('alertActionGroup is passed to templates', () => {
+  const actionParams = {
+    message: 'Value "{{alertActionGroup}}" exists',
+  };
+  const result = transformActionParams({
+    actionParams,
+    state: {},
+    context: {},
+    alertId: '1',
+    alertName: 'alert-name',
+    tags: ['tag-A', 'tag-B'],
+    spaceId: 'spaceId-A',
+    alertInstanceId: '2',
+    alertActionGroup: 'action-group',
+    alertParams: {},
+  });
+  expect(result).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+    Object {
+      "message": "Value \\"action-group\\" exists",
+    }
+  `);
+});
+
+test('date is passed to templates', () => {
+  const actionParams = {
+    message: '{{date}}',
+  };
+  const dateBefore = Date.now();
+  const result = transformActionParams({
+    actionParams,
+    state: {},
+    context: {},
+    alertId: '1',
+    alertName: 'alert-name',
+    tags: ['tag-A', 'tag-B'],
+    spaceId: 'spaceId-A',
+    alertInstanceId: '2',
+    alertActionGroup: 'action-group',
+    alertParams: {},
+  });
+  const dateAfter = Date.now();
+  const dateVariable = new Date(`${result.message}`).valueOf();
+
+  expect(dateVariable).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(dateBefore);
+  expect(dateVariable).toBeLessThanOrEqual(dateAfter);
+});
+
 test('works recursively', () => {
   const actionParams = {
     body: {
@@ -276,6 +334,7 @@ test('works recursively', () => {
     tags: ['tag-A', 'tag-B'],
     spaceId: 'spaceId-A',
     alertInstanceId: '2',
+    alertActionGroup: 'action-group',
     alertParams: {},
   });
   expect(result).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
@@ -302,6 +361,7 @@ test('works recursively with arrays', () => {
     tags: ['tag-A', 'tag-B'],
     spaceId: 'spaceId-A',
     alertInstanceId: '2',
+    alertActionGroup: 'action-group',
     alertParams: {},
   });
   expect(result).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/alerts/server/task_runner/transform_action_params.ts b/x-pack/plugins/alerts/server/task_runner/transform_action_params.ts
index 913fc51cb0f6e..b02285d56aa9a 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/alerts/server/task_runner/transform_action_params.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/alerts/server/task_runner/transform_action_params.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ interface TransformActionParamsOptions {
   spaceId: string;
   tags?: string[];
   alertInstanceId: string;
+  alertActionGroup: string;
   actionParams: AlertActionParams;
   alertParams: AlertTypeParams;
   state: AlertInstanceState;
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ export function transformActionParams({
   spaceId,
   tags,
   alertInstanceId,
+  alertActionGroup,
   context,
   actionParams,
   state,
@@ -48,7 +50,9 @@ export function transformActionParams({
       spaceId,
       tags,
       alertInstanceId,
+      alertActionGroup,
       context,
+      date: new Date().toISOString(),
       state,
       params: alertParams,
     };
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/triggers_actions_ui/public/application/lib/action_variables.test.ts b/x-pack/plugins/triggers_actions_ui/public/application/lib/action_variables.test.ts
index 6106ba60d994b..6317896a5ecd2 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/triggers_actions_ui/public/application/lib/action_variables.test.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/triggers_actions_ui/public/application/lib/action_variables.test.ts
@@ -31,10 +31,18 @@ describe('transformActionVariables', () => {
           "description": "The tags of the alert.",
           "name": "tags",
         },
+        Object {
+          "description": "The date the alert scheduled the action.",
+          "name": "date",
+        },
         Object {
           "description": "The alert instance id that scheduled actions for the alert.",
           "name": "alertInstanceId",
         },
+        Object {
+          "description": "The alert action group that was used to scheduled actions for the alert.",
+          "name": "alertActionGroup",
+        },
       ]
     `);
   });
@@ -66,10 +74,18 @@ describe('transformActionVariables', () => {
           "description": "The tags of the alert.",
           "name": "tags",
         },
+        Object {
+          "description": "The date the alert scheduled the action.",
+          "name": "date",
+        },
         Object {
           "description": "The alert instance id that scheduled actions for the alert.",
           "name": "alertInstanceId",
         },
+        Object {
+          "description": "The alert action group that was used to scheduled actions for the alert.",
+          "name": "alertActionGroup",
+        },
         Object {
           "description": "foo-description",
           "name": "context.foo",
@@ -109,10 +125,18 @@ describe('transformActionVariables', () => {
           "description": "The tags of the alert.",
           "name": "tags",
         },
+        Object {
+          "description": "The date the alert scheduled the action.",
+          "name": "date",
+        },
         Object {
           "description": "The alert instance id that scheduled actions for the alert.",
           "name": "alertInstanceId",
         },
+        Object {
+          "description": "The alert action group that was used to scheduled actions for the alert.",
+          "name": "alertActionGroup",
+        },
         Object {
           "description": "foo-description",
           "name": "state.foo",
@@ -155,10 +179,18 @@ describe('transformActionVariables', () => {
           "description": "The tags of the alert.",
           "name": "tags",
         },
+        Object {
+          "description": "The date the alert scheduled the action.",
+          "name": "date",
+        },
         Object {
           "description": "The alert instance id that scheduled actions for the alert.",
           "name": "alertInstanceId",
         },
+        Object {
+          "description": "The alert action group that was used to scheduled actions for the alert.",
+          "name": "alertActionGroup",
+        },
         Object {
           "description": "fooC-description",
           "name": "context.fooC",
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/triggers_actions_ui/public/application/lib/action_variables.ts b/x-pack/plugins/triggers_actions_ui/public/application/lib/action_variables.ts
index 2bdec1bea0c1d..296185211d043 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/triggers_actions_ui/public/application/lib/action_variables.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/triggers_actions_ui/public/application/lib/action_variables.ts
@@ -58,6 +58,13 @@ function getAlwaysProvidedActionVariables(): ActionVariable[] {
     }),
   });
 
+  result.push({
+    name: 'date',
+    description: i18n.translate('xpack.triggersActionsUI.actionVariables.dateLabel', {
+      defaultMessage: 'The date the alert scheduled the action.',
+    }),
+  });
+
   result.push({
     name: 'alertInstanceId',
     description: i18n.translate('xpack.triggersActionsUI.actionVariables.alertInstanceIdLabel', {
@@ -65,5 +72,12 @@ function getAlwaysProvidedActionVariables(): ActionVariable[] {
     }),
   });
 
+  result.push({
+    name: 'alertActionGroup',
+    description: i18n.translate('xpack.triggersActionsUI.actionVariables.alertActionGroupLabel', {
+      defaultMessage: 'The alert action group that was used to scheduled actions for the alert.',
+    }),
+  });
+
   return result;
 }
diff --git a/x-pack/test/alerting_api_integration/common/lib/alert_utils.ts b/x-pack/test/alerting_api_integration/common/lib/alert_utils.ts
index 797769fd64471..d1b8e61ff7f8a 100644
--- a/x-pack/test/alerting_api_integration/common/lib/alert_utils.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test/alerting_api_integration/common/lib/alert_utils.ts
@@ -328,6 +328,7 @@ alertName: {{alertName}},
 spaceId: {{spaceId}},
 tags: {{tags}},
 alertInstanceId: {{alertInstanceId}},
+alertActionGroup: {{alertActionGroup}},
 instanceContextValue: {{context.instanceContextValue}},
 instanceStateValue: {{state.instanceStateValue}}
 `.trim();
diff --git a/x-pack/test/alerting_api_integration/security_and_spaces/tests/alerting/alerts.ts b/x-pack/test/alerting_api_integration/security_and_spaces/tests/alerting/alerts.ts
index 8d8bc066a9b1a..0820b7642e99e 100644
--- a/x-pack/test/alerting_api_integration/security_and_spaces/tests/alerting/alerts.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test/alerting_api_integration/security_and_spaces/tests/alerting/alerts.ts
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ alertName: abc,
 spaceId: ${space.id},
 tags: tag-A,tag-B,
 alertInstanceId: 1,
+alertActionGroup: default,
 instanceContextValue: true,
 instanceStateValue: true
 `.trim(),
@@ -282,6 +283,7 @@ alertName: abc,
 spaceId: ${space.id},
 tags: tag-A,tag-B,
 alertInstanceId: 1,
+alertActionGroup: default,
 instanceContextValue: true,
 instanceStateValue: true
 `.trim(),
diff --git a/x-pack/test/alerting_api_integration/spaces_only/tests/alerting/alerts_base.ts b/x-pack/test/alerting_api_integration/spaces_only/tests/alerting/alerts_base.ts
index 26f52475a2d4e..64e99190e183a 100644
--- a/x-pack/test/alerting_api_integration/spaces_only/tests/alerting/alerts_base.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test/alerting_api_integration/spaces_only/tests/alerting/alerts_base.ts
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ alertName: abc,
 spaceId: ${space.id},
 tags: tag-A,tag-B,
 alertInstanceId: 1,
+alertActionGroup: default,
 instanceContextValue: true,
 instanceStateValue: true
 `.trim(),
diff --git a/x-pack/test/functional_with_es_ssl/apps/triggers_actions_ui/alert_create_flyout.ts b/x-pack/test/functional_with_es_ssl/apps/triggers_actions_ui/alert_create_flyout.ts
index 0f6da936f8644..7bcfca50e3c12 100644
--- a/x-pack/test/functional_with_es_ssl/apps/triggers_actions_ui/alert_create_flyout.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test/functional_with_es_ssl/apps/triggers_actions_ui/alert_create_flyout.ts
@@ -86,14 +86,16 @@ export default ({ getPageObjects, getService }: FtrProviderContext) => {
       await testSubjects.setValue('messageTextArea', 'test message ');
       await testSubjects.click('messageAddVariableButton');
       await testSubjects.click('variableMenuButton-0');
-      expect(await messageTextArea.getAttribute('value')).to.eql('test message {{alertId}}');
+      expect(await messageTextArea.getAttribute('value')).to.eql(
+        'test message {{alertActionGroup}}'
+      );
       await messageTextArea.type(' some additional text ');
 
       await testSubjects.click('messageAddVariableButton');
       await testSubjects.click('variableMenuButton-1');
 
       expect(await messageTextArea.getAttribute('value')).to.eql(
-        'test message {{alertId}} some additional text {{alertInstanceId}}'
+        'test message {{alertActionGroup}} some additional text {{alertId}}'
       );
 
       await testSubjects.click('saveAlertButton');