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title: Data Type Formatting Functions
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---
# Data Type Formatting Functions

**Applies to:** ✅ Data 360 SQL ✅ Tableau Hyper API

Functions that convert between numbers, dates, and timestamps and their string representations. Use data type formatting functions to:

- Format numbers for display by converting numeric values to strings with custom patterns.
- Parse date and time strings by converting text input into typed date or timestamp values.
- Generate readable output by formatting timestamps and intervals into locale-friendly strings.

## Considerations

- NULL handling: All formatting functions return NULL when any argument is NULL.
- Pattern syntax: Date and time formatting uses TO_CHAR patterns (such as `YYYY-MM-DD`). Numeric formatting uses FORMAT_NUMBER patterns (such as `#,###.0`).

## Format as String

Convert typed values to formatted strings:

- [FORMAT_NUMBER](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/data/data-cloud-query-guide/references/dc-sql-reference/format-number.md) — Convert a number to a string using a format pattern.
- [TO_CHAR](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/data/data-cloud-query-guide/references/dc-sql-reference/to-char.md) — Convert a timestamp or interval to a string using a format pattern.

## Parse from String

Convert strings to typed date and time values:

- [TO_DATE](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/data/data-cloud-query-guide/references/dc-sql-reference/to-date.md) — Convert a string to a date using a format pattern.
- [TO_TIMESTAMP](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/data/data-cloud-query-guide/references/dc-sql-reference/to-timestamp.md) — Convert a string to a timestamp using a format pattern.

## Examples

### Format a number for display

Convert a numeric value to a string with thousands separators and decimal places.

```sql
SELECT format_number(1234567.89, '#,##0.00') AS formatted_amount;
```

Returns `'1,234,567.89'`.

### Parse a date string

Convert a text date into a typed `date` value for comparison or arithmetic.

```sql
SELECT to_date('05 Dec 2000', 'DD Mon YYYY') AS parsed_date;
```

Returns `2000-12-05`.

### Format a timestamp

Convert the current timestamp into a human-readable string.

```sql
SELECT to_char(current_timestamp, 'FMDay, FMDD Mon YYYY HH12:MI:SS AM') AS readable_ts;
```

Returns a string such as `'Tuesday, 6 May 2025 03:22:45 PM'`.

## Related Documentation

- [Data Types](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/data/data-cloud-query-guide/datatype/datatypes.md)
- [String Functions](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/data/data-cloud-query-guide/references/string-func/string-func.md)