University > Looker Studio Course > Formulas > Exploring the DATETIME Function in Looker Studio: Syntax, Usage, Limitations, and Tips for Accurate Data Visualization

Exploring the DATETIME Function in Looker Studio: Syntax, Usage, Limitations, and Tips for Accurate Data Visualization

Google Data Studio, Google's very own data visualization tool, comes packed with numerous functions that aid in structuring and understanding large volumes of data. Among these powerful functions, one much-utilized function is DATETIME.

Introduction to DATETIME Function

DATETIME is a function that helps in creating specific dates and times. It considers the year, month, day, hour, minute, and second inputs to generate the accurate date and time that you may require for your analysis or data visualization process. The generated output is of the 'Date & Time' data type, providing precise data and ensuring high-accuracy reports.

Syntax and Functionality

The DATETIME function in Google Data Studio is quite straightforward in terms of its syntax. It takes six numerical inputs and crafts a date & time based on these values. Here's the basic format:

DATETIME(year, month, day, hour, minute, second)

Where:

```
year
```
: Represents the year. It should be numeric.
```
month
```
: Stands for the month. Also needs to be numeric.
```
day
```
: Represents the day. Numeric input is required.
```
hour
```
: Reflects the hour. Yet again, numeric figures only.
```
minute
```
: Represents the minutes in numeric format.
```
second
```
: Represents the seconds. Numeric representation is necessary.

Examples

Let's imagine that you are leading a sales team and you want to track a major negotiation event down to the second. You can use the DATETIME function to accurately capture the date and time of the event. Let's see this in function:

markdown
DATETIME(2022, 11, 26, 14, 30, 00)

The result will be:

2022-11-26 14:30:00

representing November 26, 2022, at exactly 2:30 pm.

Limitations of DATETIME function

While Google Data Studio's DATETIME function is a useful tool, it comes with its limitations. Namely, the function only accepts numeric values. Alphabetic orders, symbols, or other data types will not be accepted. Furthermore, the function is limited in regards to leap years and does not automatically adjust for these extra days.

Tips for using DATETIME function

To ensure you're using the DATETIME function to its full potential, remember to always double-check the order of fields. Beginning with years, then months, and so on is key to producing accurate results. Also, ensure your numbers are accurate, as human error can easily lead to inaccurate function execution.

Google Data Studio's DATETIME function is an invaluable tool in accurately structuring your time data, allowing you to generate precise and insightful reports. Understanding its syntax and potential shortcomings can help you optimize its use and get the most out of your data.

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