---
title: "Text to SQL Date"
canonical: "https://wiki.yellowfinbi.com/space/user80/1540376/Text%20to%20SQL%20Date"
format: markdown
---
Yellowfin's Data Transformation module lets you update the data type of your data fields. This is done directly on the data fields in the [data preview panel](https://yellowfin.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/user80/pages/1540392).

This guide will teach you how to change the data type of your *Text* field to *Date*. 

 

### Instructions

1. Ensure that your data preview panel contains a text field that you wish to convert to a date field.
2. Expand the data conversion menu of a text field, and click on Text to SQL Date.   
  
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3. A new popup will appear. You may view date format patterns and examples by clicking on the information button.   
  
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4. Enter the exact format of the date as shown in data column to convert it. The sample data will show which values will be converted as you provide the format.  
  
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5. Only the values with the specified format will be changed to the date data type; if the data column includes any other formats, then those values will be ignored. For example, if we specify the date format with '/' when the text data contains '-', then those values will not be converted.   
  
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6. Once ready, click Save to perform this conversion. You will be able to view the change in the data preview panel.   
  
  
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