# formatDate


`formatDate` formats a date using a pattern you specify. When you are preparing data, you can use `formatDate` to reformat the date. To reformat a date in an analysis, you choose the format option from the context menu on the date field.

## Syntax


```
formatDate(date, ['format'])
```

## Arguments


 *date*   
A date field or a call to another function that outputs a date.

 *format*   
(Optional) A string containing the format pattern to apply. This argument accepts the format patterns specified in [Supported date formats](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/quicksight/latest/user/supported-date-formats.html).  
If you don't specify a format, this string defaults to yyyy-MM-dd**T**kk:mm:ss:SSS.

## Return type


String

## Example


The following example formats a UTC date.

```
formatDate(orderDate, 'dd-MMM-yyyy')
```

The following are the given field values.

```
order date      
=========
2012-12-14T00:00:00.000Z  
2013-12-29T00:00:00.000Z
2012-11-15T00:00:00.000Z
```

For these field values, the following values are returned.

```
13 Dec 2012
28 Dec 2013
14 Nov 2012
```

## Example


If the date contains single quotes or apostrophes, for example `yyyyMMdd'T'HHmmss`, you can handle this date format by using one of the following methods.
+ Enclose the entire date in double quotes, as shown in the following example:

  ```
  formatDate({myDateField}, "yyyyMMdd'T'HHmmss")
  ```
+ Escape the single quotes or apostrophes by adding a backslash ( `\` ) to the left of them, as shown in the following example: 

  ```
  formatDate({myDateField}, 'yyyyMMdd\'T\'HHmmss')
  ```