Skip to main content
cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Calling all Data Engineers! Fabric Data Engineer (Exam DP-700) live sessions are back! Starting October 16th. Sign up.

Reply
ok_kpop
Frequent Visitor

Text to Date Formula Help

Every month I load in an excel file into my Power BI template. The spreadsheet has a column formatted as text which represents the date and looks something like "80123" which represents August 1, 2023. To convert the text to date format of 8/01/2023, I have the formula as 

 

= Table.AddColumn(#"Changed Type1", "Custom", each Text.Combine({Text.Start(Text.From([Date], "en-US"), 1), "/", Text.Middle(Text.From([Date], "en-US"), 1, 2), "/2023"}), type text) 

 

But, whe I load in a file for months that have two digits for the month such as "100123" the formula only works the same if I change it to = Table.AddColumn(#"Changed Type1", "Custom", each Text.Combine({Text.Start(Text.From([Date], "en-US"), 2), "/", Text.Middle(Text.From([Date], "en-US"), 2, 2), "/2023"}), type text) 

 

Is there perhaps a different formula I can use so that I don't have to keep changing it where it can convert the text to the correct date format regardless how many digits the month has?

2 REPLIES 2
Ahmedx
Super User
Super User

pls try this

Date.FromText( Text.PadStart(Text.From(
    [date]),6,"0"), [Format = "MMddyy"])

Screenshot_3.png

HotChilli
Super User
Super User

There will be another formula but why don't you pad the text using :

Text.PadStart(theColumn, 6, "0")

and use the 2nd formula on everything.

 

Helpful resources

Announcements
FabCon Global Hackathon Carousel

FabCon Global Hackathon

Join the Fabric FabCon Global Hackathon—running virtually through Nov 3. Open to all skill levels. $10,000 in prizes!

October Power BI Update Carousel

Power BI Monthly Update - October 2025

Check out the October 2025 Power BI update to learn about new features.

FabCon Atlanta 2026 carousel

FabCon Atlanta 2026

Join us at FabCon Atlanta, March 16-20, for the ultimate Fabric, Power BI, AI and SQL community-led event. Save $200 with code FABCOMM.