SQL CONVERT EXAMPLE 2

SQL CONVERT

The SQL CONVERT function is used to convert an expression from one data type to another. If the SQL Server CONVERT function is unable to change an expression into the desired data type, then it returns an Error. For this demonstration, we use the Employee table.

SQL CONVERT EXAMPLE 0

SQL CONVERT Function Syntax

The syntax of the SQL CONVERT Function

CONVERT (Data_Type [(Length)], Expression, [Style])

-- For example
SELECT CONVERT (VARCHAR(50), 245) AS [result_name]
FROM [Source]
  • Data_Type: Specify the Data Type to which you want to convert an expression
  • Length: It is an optional parameter of integer type. You can use this SQL Server parameter to specify the length of the target data type. By default, it is 30.
  • Expression that you want to change into the desired data type using the SQL Convert function.
  • Style: use this optional parameter of integer type to define the style.

SQL CONVERT Function to format Date

The list of formatting styles that are available in the SQL Server CONVERT function.

Without Century (yy)With Century (yyyy)StandardInput/Output
–0 to 100This is the Default for both datetime, and smalldatetimemon dd yyyy hh:miAM (or PM)
1101U.S.1 = mm/dd/yy
101 = mm/dd/yyyy
2102ANSI2 = yy.mm.dd
102 = yyyy.mm.dd
3103British/French3 = dd/mm/yy
103 = dd/mm/yyyy
4104German4 = dd.mm.yy
104 = dd.mm.yyyy
5105Italian5 = dd-mm-yy
105 = dd-mm-yyyy
6106–6 = dd mon yy
106 = dd mon yyyy
7107–7 = Mon dd, yy
107 = Mon dd, yyyy
8108–hh:mi:ss
–9 or 109Default + millisecondsmon dd yyyy hh:mi:ss:mmmmAM (or PM)
10110USA10 = mm-dd-yy
110 = mm-dd-yyyy
11111JAPAN11 = yy/mm/dd
111 = yyyy/mm/dd
12112ISO12 = yymmdd
112 = yyyymmdd
–13 or 113Europe Default + milliseconddd mon yyyy hh:mi:ss:mmm(24h)
14114–hh:mi:ss:mmm(24h)
–20 or 120ODBC canonicalyyyy-mm-dd hh:mi:ss(24h)
–21 or 121ODBC canonical with milliseconds. This is the Default for time, date, datetime2, and datetimeoffsetyyyy-mm-dd hh:mi:ss.mmm(24h)
–126ISO8601yyyy-mm-ddThh:mi:ss.mmm (no Spaces)
–127ISO8601 with time zone Zyyyy-mm-ddThh:mi:ss.mmmZ (no Spaces)
–130Hijridd mon yyyy hh:mi:ss:mmmAM
–131Hijridd/mm/yyyy hh:mi:ss:mmmAM

SQL CONVERT Example to Format DATE

In this example, we use the CONVERT function on GETDATE() to return the date in different formats.

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(50), GETDATE()) AS 'Result 1';

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(50), GETDATE(), 100) AS 'Result 2';
SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(50), GETDATE(), 101) AS 'Result 3';
 
SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(50), GETDATE(), 102) AS 'Result 4';
SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(50), GETDATE(), 103) AS 'Result 5';
 
SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(50), GETDATE(), 104) AS 'Result 6';
SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(50), GETDATE(), 105) AS 'Result 7';
SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(50), GETDATE(), 110) AS 'Result 8';
SQL CONVERT EXAMPLE 1

SQL CONVERT Money Format Example

If an expression is money or small money, then we can use the style argument to stylize. The list of money formatting styles that are available in the SQL Server CONVERT function.

ValueOutput
0It will only return two digits after the decimal point
1It will separate every three digits by placing a comma. It will also return two digits after the decimal point.
2This return four digits after the decimal point
126This is equivalent to 2 when you are changing to char, or varchar
DECLARE @Sale MONEY
SET @Sale = 1234567.98723

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(50), @Sale) AS 'Result 1';

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(50), @Sale, 0) AS 'Result 2';

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(50), @Sale, 1) AS 'Result 3';
SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(50), @Sale, 2) AS 'Result 4';

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(50), @Sale, 256) AS 'Result 5';
SQL CONVERT EXAMPLE 2

SQL Convert float values Example

When an expression is float or real, we can use the style argument. The following are the formatting styles that are available in the SQL CONVERT function.

ValueOutput
0This return maximum of 6 digits
1It returns eight digits. Always use in Scientific notation
2It always returns 16 digits. Always use in Scientific notation
3It is supported by SQL Server 2016. It returns 17 digits and is useful to perform the conversion without loosing
DECLARE @Sale FLOAT
SET @Sale = 1234567.98723

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(50), @Sale) AS 'Result 1';

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(50), @Sale, 0) AS 'Result 2';

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(50), @Sale, 1) AS 'Result 3';
SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(50), @Sale, 2) AS 'Result 4';

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(50), @Sale, 3) AS 'Result 5';
SQL CONVERT EXAMPLE 3

SQL CONVERT Null Values Example 1

In this SQL convert function example, we will work with NULL values.

DECLARE @str AS VARCHAR(50)
SET @str = NULL

SELECT CONVERT(INT, @str) AS Result;

SELECT CONVERT(INT, NULL) AS Result;
SQL CONVERT EXAMPLE 4

If we use the SQL Convert function to change the ‘Tutorial Gateway’ string to date time. As you can see, it is not possible so, this function is returning Error as output.

SELECT CONVERT(INT, 'Tutorial Gateway') AS Result;

Execute the above Transact SQL query

Msg 245, Level 16, State 1, Line 2
Conversion failed when converting the Varchar value 'Tutorial Gateway' to data type int.

In this example, we will apply this on our Employee table.

SELECT TOP 1000 [EmpID]
      ,[FirstName]
      ,[LastName]
      ,[Education]
      ,[Occupation]
      ,[YearlyIncome] AS [Yearly Income]
      ,CONVERT(VARCHAR(50),[Sales], 2) AS [Sale Amount]
      ,CONVERT(VARCHAR(50), [HireDate], 113) AS [Hire Date]
  FROM [Employee]
SQL CONVERT EXAMPLE 6