The Google Data Studio Function: DATE_DIFF
Insightful data analysis often involves playing with dates - calculating periods, keeping track of intervals, and most importantly, understanding time differences. Google Data Studio provides users with a robust function called DATE_DIFF which works seamlessly to calculate the difference between two dates.
However, DATE_DIFF is restricted to compatibility mode dates only, meaning it cannot handle newer Date or Date & Time types. For such dates, Google recommends using the DATETIME_DIFF function instead.
To make the most of the DATE_DIFF function, knowing the function's syntax is important.
The standard format for DATE_DIFF is:
DATE_DIFF(X, Y)Here, both X and Y should ideally be date fields or expressions. The result of DATE_DIFF is calculated as X - Y. Therefore, if X is later than Y, the result will be positive. If X is earlier than Y, the function will generate a negative result.
Implementing the DATE_DIFF function is a process that involves primarily two parameters - X and Y, which represent the end date and the start date, respectively.
Consider the standard
DATE_DIFF(End Date, Start Date)To appreciate the utility of DATE_DIFF, consider the following examples based on sales metrics:
Suppose you execute a sales campaign from March 1, 2021, to March 31, 2021. You can calculate the campaign length using
DATE_DIFF("2021-03-31", "2021-03-01")If a product was launched on January 1, 2021, and the date today is April 20, 2021, you can calculate how long the product has been in the market using
DATE_DIFF("2021-04-20", "2021-01-01")If you want to calculate the time between the sales of two batches of a product where the first batch was sold on February 10, 2021, and the second batch was sold on April 10, 2021, you would use
DATE_DIFF("2021-04-10","2021-02-10")The key limitation of DATE_DIFF is that it only supports compatibility mode dates. Users with more recent date types may not be able to use this function effectively.
While using DATE_DIFF, always ensure that parameter X (the end date) is later than parameter Y (the start date). Also, you should consider upgrading your date fields to the newer Date or Date & Time types to avail of full functionality.
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