- Aggregate functions
- ALTER TABLE statement
- AVERAGE function
- BETWEEN operator
- CASE expression
- CAST() function
- COALESCE() function
- Comment
- Common table expression
- CONCAT() function
- Constraints
- CONTAINS
- CONVERT function
- COUNT() function
- CREATE TABLE statement
- CROSS JOIN
- Cursor
- Data types
- Date functions
- DATEADD() function
- DATEDIFF() function
- DELETE statement
- DROP TABLE statement
- EXISTS operator
- FORMAT() function
- GROUP BY statement
- HAVING clause
- IF statement
- Index
- Injection
- INNER JOIN
- INSERT INTO statement
- IS NOT NULL condition
- IS NULL condition
- Joins
- LAG function
- LEFT JOIN
- LENGTH() function
- LIKE operator
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- Normalization
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- ORDER BY clause
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- Regex
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- ROUND function
- SELECT DISTINCT clause
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- Views
- WHERE clause
- Window functions
SQL
SQL FORMAT() Function: Syntax, Usage, and Examples
The SQL FORMAT
function allows you to convert numeric or date/time values into a formatted string using a specific pattern or culture. This function is especially useful in reports, dashboards, or any query where you want clean, user-friendly formatting of raw data. FORMAT SQL
is commonly supported in SQL Server and can simplify many presentation-level formatting tasks.
How to Use FORMAT in SQL
The basic syntax of SQL FORMAT
is:
FORMAT(value, format_string [, culture])
value
: A numeric or date/time expression.format_string
: A string that defines how the output should appear.culture
(optional): A locale code like'en-US'
,'de-DE'
, or'fr-FR'
that determines regional formatting.
Basic Example
SELECT FORMAT(12345.678, 'N2') AS formatted_number;
-- Output: 12,345.68
This formats the number with two decimal places and commas as thousand separators.
When to Use SQL FORMAT
Use FORMAT SQL
whenever you want to enhance the readability of your numeric or date outputs. Common scenarios include:
- Displaying numbers with thousands separators and fixed decimals
- Formatting currency values based on locale
- Rendering dates in human-readable or regional formats
- Outputting results for reports or front-end interfaces
- Customizing logs, exports, or receipts
Report-Friendly Numbers
SELECT FORMAT(total_sales, 'N0') AS sales_display
FROM sales_summary;
Shows sales with commas and no decimal places.
Regional Currency Formatting
SELECT FORMAT(price, 'C', 'en-US') AS price_usd,
FORMAT(price, 'C', 'de-DE') AS price_eur
FROM products;
This sql format function
displays prices in US dollars and euros with correct currency symbols and formatting.
Examples of FORMAT SQL
Example 1: Formatting Currency
SELECT FORMAT(1999.99, 'C', 'en-US') AS formatted_price;
-- Output: $1,999.99
This formats the number as US currency.
Example 2: Formatting Dates
SELECT FORMAT(order_date, 'MMMM dd, yyyy') AS readable_date
FROM orders;
Returns a date like April 05, 2023
.
Example 3: Leading Zeros and Custom Number Patterns
SELECT FORMAT(42, '00000') AS padded_value;
-- Output: 00042
This sql format function
pads the number to five digits.
Example 4: Time Formatting
SELECT FORMAT(order_time, 'hh:mm tt') AS formatted_time
FROM orders;
-- Output: 03:15 PM
Formats time in 12-hour format with AM/PM.
Example 5: Combining FORMAT with Other SQL Functions
SELECT FORMAT(SUM(amount), 'C', 'en-GB') AS total_sales
FROM transactions
WHERE transaction_date >= '2023-01-01';
Useful in aggregated or grouped queries for reporting.
Learn More About SQL FORMAT
Date Format Patterns
The sql format function
supports many custom date patterns:
'yyyy-MM-dd'
→2023-06-01
'dd/MM/yyyy'
→01/06/2023
'MMM dd, yyyy'
→Jun 01, 2023
'dddd, MMMM dd'
→Thursday, June 01
SELECT FORMAT(GETDATE(), 'dddd, MMMM dd') AS full_day;
Displays current date with full day and month names.
Numeric Format Patterns
Some common numeric formats include:
'N'
– Number with decimals (e.g.,N2
= 2 decimal places)'C'
– Currency'P'
– Percentage'E'
– Scientific notation'G'
– General (default, culture-specific)
SELECT FORMAT(0.867, 'P2') AS percent_value;
-- Output: 86.70 %
This formats a decimal as a percentage with two decimal places.
Culture Settings
Culture codes control the output’s regional style, including:
'en-US'
→ English (United States)'en-GB'
→ English (United Kingdom)'de-DE'
→ German (Germany)'fr-FR'
→ French (France)'ja-JP'
→ Japanese
SELECT FORMAT(GETDATE(), 'D', 'ja-JP') AS japanese_date;
This returns the full Japanese-formatted date.
FORMAT vs CONVERT and CAST
While CAST()
and CONVERT()
change data types, FORMAT()
changes presentation.
-- CAST example (no formatting control)
SELECT CAST(order_date AS VARCHAR) FROM orders;
-- FORMAT example (formatted output)
SELECT FORMAT(order_date, 'dd-MM-yyyy') FROM orders;
Use FORMAT
when you care about how the result looks, not just its type.
Performance Considerations
The sql format function
is powerful but not always fast. Since it returns NVARCHAR
, and must parse both value and format, it’s slower than simpler casting. Use it for:
- Final output
- UI queries
- Read-only dashboards
Avoid using FORMAT SQL
in WHERE clauses or heavily nested logic.
Common Pitfalls
- Can't use for indexing: Since it returns a string, don't filter or join on it.
- Returns strings: You can’t perform math on formatted results.
- Can break localization: Hardcoding date formats can confuse users in other regions.
FORMAT Inside Aggregates and CTEs
You can use FORMAT
inside SELECT
, CTE
, or subqueries:
WITH monthly_sales AS (
SELECT region, FORMAT(SUM(sales), 'C', 'en-US') AS formatted_sales
FROM sales
GROUP BY region
)
SELECT * FROM monthly_sales;
This prepares readable totals per region.
Formatting in JSON Exports
When building JSON with SQL Server’s FOR JSON
clause, FORMAT
makes the output cleaner:
SELECT
name,
FORMAT(price, 'C') AS price,
FORMAT(order_date, 'yyyy-MM-dd') AS order_date
FROM products
FOR JSON AUTO;
This is helpful when sending formatted data to client-side apps.
The SQL FORMAT
function is ideal for beautifying the results of your queries. From formatting prices and percentages to customizing dates for specific locales, it gives you precise control over how data appears. While not meant for heavy data processing, FORMAT SQL
is a powerful tool for polishing reports, improving readability, and delivering well-structured outputs across various systems and users.
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