# number_to_string

Converts a number literal to a string literal.

## Syntax

`number_to_string`(*number*, *number_format*)

## Usage

Returns the string representation of *number*. Use *number_format* to specify the format of the string, for example as currency or with two decimal places. *number_format* can specify seperate formats for positive and negative numbers:

- `number_to_string`(*number*, *number_format*)

  The format specified by *number_format* is used for both positive and negative numbers.

- `number_to_string`(*number*, *\<POSITIVE>*;*\<NEGATIVE>*)

  If *number* is positive, the number format specified by *\<POSITIVE>* is used. If *number* is negative, the number format specified by *\<NEGATIVE>* is used. Note the semicolon separating the two specified formats.

You can specify the format with these characters:

- 0, #, decimal point (.)
- Thousands separator (,)
- Percentage (%)
- Leading and trailing characters: $, +, -, (, ), :, !, ^,&,’,\~,{,}

## Example

Display the number amount as a string, formatted as currency:

```nolang
q = foreach q generate 'Amount' as 'Amount', number_to_string('Amount',"$#,###.00") as 'NumberAmount';
```

![Picture of a table with a number formatted as currency.](https://a.sfdcstatic.com/developer-website/sfdocs/analytics/media/bi_dev_guide_saql/bi_saql_num2string.png)

## Example

Suppose that you have a measure field with the format shown in **Number You Start With**. Use the format shown in **number_format** to display this number as a shown in **Resulting String**.

| Initial Number | number_format | Resulting String |
| -------------- | ------------- | ---------------- |
| 1234.56        | ####.#        | 1234.6           |
| 8.9            | #.000         | 8.900            |
| .631           | 0.#           | 0.6              |
| 12             | #.0#          | 12.0             |
| 1234.568       | #.0#          | 1234.57          |
| 12000          | #,###         | 12,000           |
| 12000          | #,            | 12               |
| 12200000       | 0.0,,         | 12.2             |
| 12             | 00000         | 00012            |
| 0.03457        | #.00%         | 3.46%            |
| 12.3           | $#.00;($#.00) | $12.30           |
| -12.3          | $#.00;($#.00) | ($12.30)         |
| 32             | +;-           | +                |
| -32            | +;-           | -                |