Analytics SAQL Developer Guide

Overview
Quick Start
Examples
SAQL Reference
SAQL Basic Elements
SAQL Operators
SAQL Statements
SAQL Functions
Aggregate Functions
Date Functions
daysBetween()
date_diff()
now()
date()
toDate()
date_to_epoch()
date_to_string()
toString()
Time-Based Filtering
Day in the Week, Month, Quarter, or Year
First Day in the Week, Month, Quarter, or Year
Last Day in the Week, Month, Quarter, or Year
Number of Days in the Month, Quarter, or Year
Date Formats
Time Zone Date Functions
Work with Custom Fiscal Year Data
String Functions
Math Functions
Windowing Functions
coalesce
Query Performance
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toDate()

Converts a string or Unix epoch seconds to a date. Returns a date that can be used in another function such as daysBetween(​). The returned date cannot be used in a filter.

Syntax

toDate(string, [”format"])

If a format argument isn’t provided, the function uses the format yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss. format is only valid for converting date string values.

For the allowed formats, see Date Formats.

toDate(epoch_seconds)

The format argument is not valid for converting epoch_seconds numerical values.

Be sure to use the sec_epoch field and not the day_epoch field.

Note

Example: Display the Exact Date an Opportunity Opened

Suppose that you want to see the exact day that an opportunity opened. Use toDate() with CreatedDate_Year, CreatedDate_Month, CreatedDate_Day, and an accepted date format. This query will resemble the example below:

1q = load "oppty";
2q = foreach q generate toDate(CreatedDate_Year + "/" + CreatedDate_Month + "/" + CreatedDate_Day, "yyyy/MM/dd") as CreatedDate;
3q = order q by 'CreatedDate';

Example: Display the Number of Days Since an Opportunity Opened

Suppose that you have an opportunity dataset with the account name and the epoch seconds fields:

Diagram showing the opportunity dataset.

You want to see how many days ago an opportunity was opened. Use daysBetween() and now(). Use toDate() to convert the order date epoch seconds to a date format that can be passed to daysBetween().

1q = load "OpsDates1";
2
3q = foreach q generate Account, daysBetween(toDate(OrderDate_sec_epoch), now()) as 'daysOpened';

The resulting data stream displays the number of days since the opportunity was opened.

Diagram showing the number of days each account has been opened for.

Because dates are sorted lexicographically, changing the date format also changes the sort order.

Note