Convert Date Time To Text Step

he Convert Date Time To Text step changes a date and time variable into a text string. You can set the exact format of the output text. Use this step when you need to show a date or time in a certain way, or when you need to send date information as text to another system.

How to Use Convert Date Time To Text

This step turns a datetime variable into a string variable.

Step 1: Add the Step

Drag the Convert Date Time To Text step into your process.
(Optional) Give the step a custom name in the Step name field.

Step 2: Set Up Input Parameters

Source datetime variable (Required)
- Type the name of an existing datetime variable. This is the date and time you want to change.
Date format (Required)
- Type the format you want for the output text.
- Example: dd.MM.yyyy will make a date look like 21.03.2023.
- You can use standard or custom formats.

Step 3: Set Up Output Parameters

Destination text variable (Required)
- Type a name for the new string variable that will hold the converted date and time.
- You can also pick an existing string variable to update its value.

Parameters Explained

Step name (Optional)

A custom name for this step in your process.

Source datetime variable (Required)

The datetime variable you want to change.
Example: myDateTimeVariable
When to use it: Always provide the datetime variable that has the original date and time.

Date format (Required)

Shows how the datetime value will look as text.
Example: MM/dd/yyyy HH:mm:ss for 03/21/2023 14:30:00
When to use it: Tell it the exact format you need for the output string.

Destination text variable (Required)

The string variable where the changed date and time will be saved.
Example: formattedDateString
When to use it: Always provide a variable name to hold the result.

Important Things to Know About Date Formats

When you use a custom format, be careful with characters that have a special meaning in date formatting. These characters will be replaced by their date or time values, even if they are part of your custom text.

Example:

If you use the format "day: d"
The output might look like "21a25: 21"
This happens because d means day, and y means a short year. The y in "day" is read as part of the date format.

Additional comment

You can use either standard or custom formats to convert dates, times, or parts of them.

When using a custom format, you can integrate it with other text, but you need to be cautious. Each character that holds a specific meaning will be replaced by the corresponding value of the date or time. For example, in the format "day: d" the output might appear as "21a25: 21" because "d" stands for day and "y" stands for short year. Even within your custom text, these characters will be substituted with their respective date values.

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