---
schema_version: "1"
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title: Format
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---
# Format

Applies a formatting rule to a string or numeric value. For example, you can change the format of an ISO 8601 timestamp to show the date in the format that you prefer.

## Syntax

`Format(1, 2)`

## Properties

| Ordinal | Type             | Description                                                   |
| ------- | ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `1`     | String or number | Required. The string or number to apply a formatting rule to. |
| `2`     | String           | Required. A format code to apply to the string.               |

## Format Codes for Numeric Value Types

Use these codes to format numeric values or strings that contain numeric values. The values in the Example column are based on a sample numeric value of `4213.65`.

| Formatting Code | Description                                                    | Example       |
| --------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------- |
| `C`             | Currency value with group and decimal separators               | $4,213.65     |
| `D`             | Decimal value                                                  | 4213.65       |
| `E`             | Exponential notation value                                     | 4.213650E+003 |
| `F`             | Fixed-point value                                              | 4213.65       |
| `G`             | The more compact of either fixed-point or exponential notation | 4213.65       |
| `N`             | Number with group and decimal separators                       | 4,213.65      |
| `P`             | Percentage with group and decimal separators                   | 421,365.00%   |

Include a number after any formatting code to modify the number of decimal places in the output, rounding up or down as needed. For example, if the input value is `4213.65` and you specify the `C0` formatting code, the output value is `$4,214`. With the same starting value and a formatting code of `C4`, the output value becomes `$4,213.6500`.

## Format Codes for Date Strings

To apply a formatting rule to a date, specify the format that you want the function to output. You can use a predefined date format or specify a custom date format.

### Predefined Date Format Strings

This table lists the predefined date formats for date values. The values in the Example column are based on the date Monday, August 5, 2024 at 1:41:23 PM in the UTC-06:00 time zone.

| Formatting Code | Description                                     | Example                           |
| --------------- | ----------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------- |
| `d`             | Short-form date                                 | 8/5/24                            |
| `M`             | Month and day                                   | August 5                          |
| `f`             | Long-form date with 12-hour time                | Monday, August 5, 2024 1:41 PM    |
| `g`             | Short-form date with 12-hour time               | 8/5/2024 1:41 PM                  |
| `O`             | ISO 8601 timestamp                              | 2024-08-05T13:41:23.0000000       |
| `r`             | RFC 1123 timestamp                              | Mon, 05 Aug 2024 13:41:23 GMT     |
| `s`             | Sortable timestamp                              | 2024-08-05T13:41:23               |
| `t`             | 12-hour time                                    | 1:41 PM                           |
| `T`             | 12-hour time in seconds                         | 1:41:23 PM                        |
| `u`             | Universal sortable timestamp                    | 2024-08-05 13:41:23Z              |
| `U`             | Long-form date with 12-hour UTC time in seconds | Monday, August 5, 2024 7:41:23 PM |
| `y`             | Month and year                                  | August 2024                       |

### Custom Date Strings

Combine the format codes listed in this table to output a date string that uses a custom format. The values in the Example column are based on the date Monday, August 5, 2024 at 1:41:23 PM in the UTC-06:00 time zone.

| Formatting Code | Description                                         | Example |
| --------------- | --------------------------------------------------- | ------- |
| `d`             | Day expressed as a numeral without a leading zero   | 5       |
| `dd`            | Day expressed as a numeral                          | 05      |
| `ddd`           | Abbreviated day name                                | Mon     |
| `dddd`          | Day name                                            | Monday  |
| `h`             | Hours on a 12-hour clock without a leading zero     | 1       |
| `hh`            | Hours on a 12-hour clock                            | 01      |
| `HH`            | Hours on a 24-hour clock                            | 13      |
| `mm`            | Minutes                                             | 41      |
| `M`             | Month expressed as a numeral without a leading zero | 8       |
| `MM`            | Month expressed as a numeral                        | 08      |
| `MMM`           | Abbreviated month name                              | Aug     |
| `MMMM`          | Month name                                          | August  |
| `ss`            | Seconds                                             | 23      |
| `tt`            | 12-hour time period (AM or PM)                      | PM      |
| `yy`            | Last two digits of the year                         | 24      |
| `yyy`           | Year                                                | 2024    |
| `z`             | Time zone offset in hours without a leading zero    | -6      |
| `zz`            | Time zone offset in hours                           | -06     |
| `zzz`           | Time zone offset in hours and minutes               | -06:00  |

**note:** Some format codes for custom dates are the same as the codes for predefined date formats. When you pass a single formatting code as a parameter for the `Format` function, the function outputs a date string in the specified format. If you pass more than one formatting code as a parameter, the function outputs a string with the date-formatting options you specified. For example, using the same example timestamp that’s used in the table, the function `Format(date, "d")` outputs `8/5/24`. However, the function `Format(date, "d MMMM")` outputs `5 August`.

## Usage

You can use this function to format strings in several different ways. These examples show some of the ways that you can use this function.

### Formatting Currency Values

Use the `C` formatting code to express a string or number as a currency value. The function in this example specifies that the output includes two decimal places (`C2`).

```html
<script runat="server">
  Platform.Load("core", "1");
  var unitPrice = 29.99;
  var salesTaxRate = 1.09;
  var totalPrice = unitPrice * salesTaxRate; //Evaluates to 32.6891
  var finalCostInDollars = Format(totalPrice, "C2");
</script>
<p>The total price is <ctrl:var name="finalCostInDollars" />.</p>
```

The function outputs the string expressed as a dollar amount rounded to two decimal places.

```
The total price is $32.69.
```

### Formatting Dates

This example shows how to format a date by using a predefined format and a custom format.

This example uses the `O` formatting code to format the incoming date and time value as an ISO timestamp. Next, it uses a custom format for the incoming date and time. The custom format includes the full name of the day (`dddd`), the full name of the month (`MMMM`), the date without a leading zero (`d`), and the year (`yyy`). It also shows the time in 24-hour format, including hours, minutes, seconds, and UTC offset (`HH:mm:ss (zzz)`).

```html
<script runat="server">
  Platform.Load("core", "1");
  date = "2024-08-05T13:41:23.000-06:00";
  dateIso = Format(date, "O");
  dateCustom = Format(date, "dddd, MMMM d yyy HH:mm:ss (zzz)");
</script>
<p>Date and time with a predefined format: <ctrl:var name="dateIso" /></p>
<p>Date and time with a custom format: <ctrl:var name="dateCustom" /></p>
```

The function outputs the date and time using the specified formats.

```
Date and time with a predefined format: 2024-08-05T13:41:23.0000000
Date and time with a custom format: Monday, August 5 2024 13:41:23 (-06:00)
```