diff -r 3a78894effbd -r 84fcff2829a6 roundup/cgi/templating.py
--- a/roundup/cgi/templating.py	Mon Mar 02 19:06:45 2015 +0300
+++ b/roundup/cgi/templating.py	Wed Mar 04 20:52:35 2015 +0300
@@ -1830,6 +1830,31 @@
             s += self.popcal()
         return s
 
+    def periodof(self, pretty=1, othdate='.'):
+        """ Render the duration between this date and other date (default is now).
+
+            If the "pretty" flag is true, then make the display human readable.
+        """
+        if not self.is_view_ok():
+            return self._('[hidden]')
+
+        if not self._value:
+            return ''
+
+        if isinstance(othdate, self.__class__) :
+            if not othdate._value:
+               return ''
+            cmp_date = othdate._value
+
+        if isinstance(othdate, ''.__class__) :
+            cmp_date = date.Date(othdate, translator=self._client.translator)
+
+        # figure the interval
+        interval = self._value - cmp_date
+        if pretty:
+            return interval.period()
+        return str(interval)
+
     def reldate(self, pretty=1):
         """ Render the interval between the date and now.
 
diff -r 3a78894effbd -r 84fcff2829a6 roundup/date.py
--- a/roundup/date.py	Mon Mar 02 19:06:45 2015 +0300
+++ b/roundup/date.py	Wed Mar 04 20:52:35 2015 +0300
@@ -841,8 +841,9 @@
     def __repr__(self):
         return '<Interval %s>'%self.__str__()
 
-    def pretty(self):
-        ''' print up the date date using one of these nice formats..
+    def period(self):
+        ''' return interval in human readable format
+            such as "1 month", "2 week" etc.
         '''
         _quarters = self.minute / 15
         if self.year:
@@ -894,11 +895,16 @@
         else:
             s = self.ngettext('%(number)s/4 hour', '%(number)s/4 hours',
                 _quarters) % {'number': _quarters}
+        return s
+
+    def pretty(self):
+        ''' print up the interval using one of these nice formats..
+        '''
         # XXX this is internationally broken
         if self.sign < 0:
-            s = self._('%s ago') % s
+            s = self._('%s ago') % self.period()
         else:
-            s = self._('in %s') % s
+            s = self._('in %s') % self.period()
         return s
 
     def get_tuple(self):