Example
SQL Server 2012
Returns a NVARCHAR value formatted with the specified format and culture (if specified). This is primarily used for converting date-time types to strings.
Parameters:
value. An expression of a supported data type to format. valid types are listed below.format. AnNVARCHARformat pattern. See Microsoft official documentation for standard and custom format strings.culture. Optional.nvarcharargument specifying a culture. The default value is the culture of the current session.
DATE
Using standard format strings:
DECLARE @d DATETIME = '2016-07-31';
SELECT
FORMAT ( @d, 'd', 'en-US' ) AS 'US English Result' -- Returns '7/31/2016'
,FORMAT ( @d, 'd', 'en-gb' ) AS 'Great Britain English Result' -- Returns '31/07/2016'
,FORMAT ( @d, 'd', 'de-de' ) AS 'German Result' -- Returns '31.07.2016'
,FORMAT ( @d, 'd', 'zh-cn' ) AS 'Simplified Chinese (PRC) Result' -- Returns '2016/7/31'
,FORMAT ( @d, 'D', 'en-US' ) AS 'US English Result' -- Returns 'Sunday, July 31, 2016'
,FORMAT ( @d, 'D', 'en-gb' ) AS 'Great Britain English Result' -- Returns '31 July 2016'
,FORMAT ( @d, 'D', 'de-de' ) AS 'German Result' -- Returns 'Sonntag, 31. Juli 2016'
Using custom format strings:
SELECT FORMAT( @d, 'dd/MM/yyyy', 'en-US' ) AS 'DateTime Result' -- Returns '31/07/2016'
,FORMAT(123456789,'###-##-####') AS 'Custom Number Result' -- Returns '123-45-6789',
,FORMAT( @d,'dddd, MMMM dd, yyyy hh:mm:ss tt','en-US') AS 'US' -- Returns 'Sunday, July 31, 2016 12:00:00 AM'
,FORMAT( @d,'dddd, MMMM dd, yyyy hh:mm:ss tt','hi-IN') AS 'Hindi' -- Returns रविवार, जुलाई 31, 2016 12:00:00 पूर्वाह्न
,FORMAT ( @d, 'dddd', 'en-US' ) AS 'US' -- Returns 'Sunday'
,FORMAT ( @d, 'dddd', 'hi-IN' ) AS 'Hindi' -- Returns 'रविवार'
FORMAT can also be used for formatting CURRENCY,PERCENTAGE and NUMBERS.
CURRENCY
DECLARE @Price1 INT = 40
SELECT FORMAT(@Price1,'c','en-US') AS 'CURRENCY IN US Culture' -- Returns '$40.00'
,FORMAT(@Price1,'c','de-DE') AS 'CURRENCY IN GERMAN Culture' -- Returns '40,00 €'
We can specify the number of digits after the decimal.
DECLARE @Price DECIMAL(5,3) = 40.356
SELECT FORMAT( @Price, 'C') AS 'Default', -- Returns '$40.36'
FORMAT( @Price, 'C0') AS 'With 0 Decimal', -- Returns '$40'
FORMAT( @Price, 'C1') AS 'With 1 Decimal', -- Returns '$40.4'
FORMAT( @Price, 'C2') AS 'With 2 Decimal', -- Returns '$40.36'
PERCENTAGE
DECLARE @Percentage float = 0.35674
SELECT FORMAT( @Percentage, 'P') AS '% Default', -- Returns '35.67 %'
FORMAT( @Percentage, 'P0') AS '% With 0 Decimal', -- Returns '36 %'
FORMAT( @Percentage, 'P1') AS '% with 1 Decimal' -- Returns '35.7 %'
NUMBER
DECLARE @Number AS DECIMAL(10,2) = 454545.389
SELECT FORMAT( @Number, 'N','en-US') AS 'Number Format in US', -- Returns '454,545.39'
FORMAT( @Number, 'N','en-IN') AS 'Number Format in INDIA', -- Returns '4,54,545.39'
FORMAT( @Number, '#.0') AS 'With 1 Decimal', -- Returns '454545.4'
FORMAT( @Number, '#.00') AS 'With 2 Decimal', -- Returns '454545.39'
FORMAT( @Number, '#,##.00') AS 'With Comma and 2 Decimal', -- Returns '454,545.39'
FORMAT( @Number, '##.00') AS 'Without Comma and 2 Decimal', -- Returns '454545.39'
FORMAT( @Number, '000000000') AS 'Left-padded to nine digits' -- Returns '000454545'
Valid value types list: (source)
Category Type .Net type
-------------------------------------------
Numeric bigint Int64
Numeric int Int32
Numeric smallint Int16
Numeric tinyint Byte
Numeric decimal SqlDecimal
Numeric numeric SqlDecimal
Numeric float Double
Numeric real Single
Numeric smallmoney Decimal
Numeric money Decimal
Date and Time date DateTime
Date and Time time TimeSpan
Date and Time datetime DateTime
Date and Time smalldatetime DateTime
Date and Time datetime2 DateTime
Date and Time datetimeoffset DateTimeOffset
Important Notes:
FORMATreturnsNULLfor errors other than a culture that is not valid. For example,NULLis returned if the value specified in format is not valid.FORMATrelies on the presence of the .NET Framework Common Language Runtime (CLR).FORMATrelies upon CLR formatting rules which dictate that colons and periods must be escaped. Therefore, when the format string (second parameter) contains a colon or period, the colon or period must be escaped with backslash when an input value (first parameter) is of the time data type.
See also Date & Time Formatting using FORMAT documentation example.
