format
With the function, you can format numbers, date, and time values as you need them, to use them in text or formula fields.
ℹ️ Note: All entries are optional. If you do not specify anything, nothing will be formatted.
❗ Caution:
When calling format() in a server or transaction context (do as server ... end / do as transaction ... end) to convert date and time values, you must use date() or datetime() to provide format() with a valid value, for example:
do as server format(date(DATE), “YYYY-MM-DD”) end
or
do as server format(datetime(DATETIME), “YYYY-MM-DD - hh:mm:ss”) end
If you want to format numbers with this function, you must specify the defaults for formatting in a certain order:
- First, specify whether a prefix should be inserted, e.g. a currency symbol.
- Should a 1000 separator be inserted?
- Specify whether or how many decimal places you want to display.
- Specify a unit, e.g. a currency sign.
- Type of decimal place separator. In English-speaking countries, this is typically a period (
.), while in many other regions a comma (,) is used. Other possible options include single quote (') or double quotes ("). - Type of 1000 separator. In English-speaking countries, this is typically a comma (
,), while in regions that use a comma as decimal separator, a period (.) or space is common. Other options include single quotation mark (') or double quotation marks (").
❗ Caution: Use double quotes (
"") for quotes within a string.
| Expected result | Formula |
| 238597 | format(238597, "") |
| 238597,00 | format(238597, ".00") |
| 2387,970 | format(2385.97, "0.000#,#") |
| $2,385.97 | format(2385.97, "$#,.#0,0") |
| 2.385,97 € | format(2385.97, "#,##0.00 €#,#0.0") |
Syntax
format(number, string)
format(date, string)
format(date, string, string)
format(appointment, string)
format(appointment, string, string)
format(timestamp, string)
format(timestamp, string, string)
format(time, string)
Return
string
Examples
❗ Caution: Your result format may be different depending on your settings.
ℹ️ Note: Examples include both period and comma as decimal separators to accommodate users in different regions. In the English-speaking world, '$2,385.97' format is standard, while in many European countries, '2.385,97 €' would be the expected format.
format(myNumber, formatExpression) to format a given number as a string.
format(2385.97, "#,##0.00 €#,#0.0")Result: 2.385,97 €
format(2385.97, "$#,.#0,0")Result: $2,385.97
format(12345, "0000000000")Result: 0000012345
format(myDate, formatExpression) to format a given date as a string.
format(Date, "ddd, Do MMMM YYYY")Result:
- Mon, May 31, 2021 (with Date = 05/31/2021) (US)
- Mon, 31st May 2021 (with Date = 31/05/2021) (UK)
format(myDate, formatExpression, language) to format a given date as a string, where the result shows in a specific language supported by Ninox.
format(myDatetime, formatExpression) to format a given timestamp as a string.
format(now(),"X")Result: 1622466387 (on May 31, 2021 15:06)
X shows the result without milliseconds. x shows the result with milliseconds.
format(myAppointment, formatExpression) to format a given start of an appointment as a string.
format(myAppointment, formatExpression, language) to format a given start of an appointment as a string, where the result shows in a specific language supported by Ninox.
format(myTime, formatExpression) to format a given time as a string.
format(myDatetime, formatExpression, language) to format a given timestamp as a string, where the result shows in a specific language supported by Ninox.
ℹ️ More information about our date and time format expression .