The value will be implicitly converted to the data type of the variable. When we assign a value to a variable, an implicit data conversion may occur if we’re trying to assign a value of a different type to that variable. With an implicit conversion, SQL Server converts the data type indirectly as part of another operation.įor example, when we insert a value into a column, it will be implicitly converted into that column’s type (unless it’s already the correct type). When we implicitly convert data types, it’s actually SQL Server that does it behind the scenes. We can alternatively use TRY_CAST() or TRY_CONVERT() to deal with any errors that may occur. But the CONVERT() function does allow us to specify a style for the date to be formatted in (more on date formats later). The CAST() function is standards compliant while the CONVERT() function isn’t. I used the CAST() function to convert the output of the GETDATE() function (which returns a datetime value containing the server’s date and time) to a date value.Īs mentioned, another way to do it is to use the CONVERT() function. I just explicitly converted a datetime value to a date value. When we do this, we explicitly tell SQL Server to convert from one data type to another, and we explicitly state which data type to convert to.ĬAST( GETDATE() AS date ) AS 'Converted Value' When we explicitly convert data types, we use a function like CONVERT() or CAST() to do the conversion. In SQL Server, we convert between data types either explicitly or implicitly. But in this article I hope to demystify this topic for anyone who’s confused when it comes to making conversions between dates and other data types, as well as changing the format of date/time values, and other considerations.

When it comes to converting date and time values in SQL Server, things can get a little complex.

Convert date to string sql