Custom date formats in Tableau - Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

Custom date formats let you show dates exactly how you want in your Tableau reports. This helps make your dashboards clearer and easier to read by matching the date style your audience expects.

When your report needs dates shown as 'Jan 2024' instead of '01/01/2024'

When you want to display only the year from a full date, like '2024'

When your audience prefers dates with full month names, like 'January 15, 2024'

When you want to show dates in a compact format like '15-Jan-24' for space saving

When you need to match date formats used in official documents or company standards

Steps

Step 1: Right-click the date field

- Data pane

A menu appears with options for the date field

Step 2: Select 'Default Properties' then click 'Date Format'

- Context menu for the date field

The Date Format dialog box opens

Step 3: Choose 'Custom' from the format options

- Date Format dialog box

A text box appears to enter your custom date format

Step 4: Type your custom date format using Tableau date format codes

- Custom format text box

The preview updates to show how dates will look

Step 5: Click 'OK' to apply the custom date format

- Date Format dialog box

All dates using this field update to the new format in your views

Before vs After

Before

Dates show as '1/15/2024' in all views using the date field

After

Dates show as 'January 15, 2024' after applying the custom format 'MMMM dd, yyyy'

Settings Reference

Date Format

📍 Right-click date field > Default Properties > Date Format

Controls how dates are displayed for the selected field

Default: Automatic

Custom Date Format Codes

📍 Custom format text box in Date Format dialog

Defines the pattern for displaying date parts like year, month, day

Default: None

Common Mistakes

Typing invalid date format codes like 'YYYY' instead of 'yyyy'

Tableau is case-sensitive and only recognizes specific codes

Use lowercase 'yyyy' for year and check Tableau's date format codes

Applying custom format to a non-date field

Only date fields support date formatting options

Ensure the field is a date type before setting custom date formats

Summary

Custom date formats let you control how dates appear in Tableau reports.

You set them by right-clicking the date field and choosing Default Properties > Date Format.

Use correct Tableau date codes and remember formats are case-sensitive.

Practice

1. What does the custom date format string yyyy-MM-dd display in Tableau?

easy

A. Month in four digits, day in two digits, year in two digits separated by slashes

B. Year in four digits, month in two digits, day in two digits separated by dashes

C. Day in four digits, month in two digits, year in two digits separated by dots

D. Year in two digits, month in two digits, day in two digits separated by spaces

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the format components

   yyyy means four-digit year, MM means two-digit month, and dd means two-digit day.

2. Step 2: Analyze the separators

   The dashes - separate year, month, and day in the output.

3. Final Answer:

   Year in four digits, month in two digits, day in two digits separated by dashes -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   yyyy-MM-dd = Year-Month-Day with dashes [OK]

Hint: Remember yyyy=year, MM=month, dd=day with separators [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing MM with minutes
• Mixing up order of year, month, day
• Ignoring separator characters

2. Which of the following is the correct Tableau custom date format to show the date as 31/12/2024?

easy

A. dd/MM/yyyy

B. yyyy/MM/dd

C. MM/dd/yyyy

D. dd-MM-yyyy

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the desired output format

   The date is shown as day/month/year with slashes: 31/12/2024.

2. Step 2: Match format string to output

   dd for day, MM for month, yyyy for year, separated by slashes /.

3. Final Answer:

   dd/MM/yyyy -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   dd/MM/yyyy matches 31/12/2024 [OK]

Hint: Use slashes for separators and order day/month/year [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using dashes instead of slashes
• Swapping month and day positions
• Using lowercase 'mm' which means minutes

3. Given the Tableau custom date format string MMM dd, yyyy, what would the date 2024-07-04 display as?

medium

A. 04 Jul, 2024

B. July 04, 2024

C. 07 04, 2024

D. Jul 04, 2024

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand format tokens

   MMM shows abbreviated month name (e.g., Jul), dd is two-digit day, yyyy is four-digit year.

2. Step 2: Apply to date 2024-07-04

   Month is July abbreviated as 'Jul', day is '04', year is '2024', combined as 'Jul 04, 2024'.

3. Final Answer:

   Jul 04, 2024 -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   MMM dd, yyyy = Jul 04, 2024 [OK]

Hint: MMM means short month name like Jan, Feb, Mar [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using full month name with MMM
• Confusing MMM with MM (month number)
• Swapping day and month order

4. You wrote the custom date format yyyy/dd/MM in Tableau but the dates look wrong. What is the likely error?

medium

A. Using lowercase 'dd' instead of uppercase 'DD' causes error

B. Missing separators like dashes or slashes between parts

C. Day and month positions are swapped, causing incorrect display

D. Year should be lowercase 'yyyy' to work correctly

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze the format string

   yyyy/dd/MM places day before month, which is unusual and likely not intended.

2. Step 2: Understand correct order

   Typically, month comes before day in many formats, so swapping causes wrong date display.

3. Final Answer:

   Day and month positions are swapped, causing incorrect display -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Swapped dd and MM cause wrong date order [OK]

Hint: Check order: month usually before day, not after [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing uppercase and lowercase tokens
• Ignoring separators between date parts
• Assuming lowercase yyyy is invalid

5. You want to create a Tableau custom date format that shows the full month name, day without leading zero, and two-digit year, like January 5, 24. Which format string should you use?

hard

A. MMMM d, yy

B. MMM dd, yyyy

C. MM/dd/yy

D. MMMM dd, yyyy

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify required parts

   Full month name = MMMM, day without leading zero = d, two-digit year = yy.

2. Step 2: Match format string

   MMMM d, yy matches exactly: full month, day no leading zero, comma, space, two-digit year.

3. Final Answer:

   MMMM d, yy -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   MMMM d, yy = January 5, 24 [OK]

Hint: Use MMMM for full month, d for day no zero, yy for two-digit year [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using dd for day adds leading zero
• Using yyyy for four-digit year instead of two-digit
• Using MMM for short month name instead of full