When working with Notion databases, you often need to display a date as plain text in a formula column. Notion formulas do not have a dedicated TEXT function for dates. Instead, you must use the FORMAT function to convert a date property into a readable string. Many users encounter errors or unexpected output because the syntax for date formatting differs from what they expect. This article explains how the FORMAT function works for dates and provides exact formulas for common date-to-text conversions.
Key Takeaways: Converting Dates to Text in Notion Formulas
- FORMAT(prop(“Date”)): Converts a date property to a default text string like “January 15, 2025”
- FORMAT(prop(“Date”), “YYYY-MM-DD”): Produces a custom date format such as “2025-01-15”
- FORMAT(prop(“Date”), “MM/DD/YYYY”): Outputs a date in US numeric format like “01/15/2025”
How Notion’s FORMAT Function Handles Dates
Notion formulas use the FORMAT function to convert a date value into a text string. The function accepts two arguments: the date property and an optional format string. If you omit the format string, Notion applies a default format based on your workspace locale. For US English workspaces, the default output is “Month Day, Year” for example “January 15, 2025”. The function returns a text value that you can then concatenate with other strings, use in conditional logic, or display in a formula column.
The format string uses specific tokens that represent date parts. Token names are case-sensitive. Use uppercase Y for year, uppercase M for month, and uppercase D for day. You can combine these tokens with separators such as hyphens, slashes, or spaces. Notion does not support locale-aware tokens like “ddd” for abbreviated day names. Only the tokens Y, M, D, and their repeated forms are available.
Steps to Convert a Date to Text in a Notion Formula
Before writing the formula, ensure you have a database table with at least one Date column and one Formula column. The Date column must contain actual date values, not text. The Formula column will hold the conversion formula.
- Open the database where you want to add the formula
Navigate to your Notion workspace and open the page containing the database. Click anywhere inside the database to select it. - Add a Formula column
Click the + icon in the last column header. From the property type menu, select Formula. Notion creates a new column with a formula editor. - Enter the date-to-text formula
Click inside the formula editor. TypeFORMAT(prop("Date"))whereDateis the exact name of your date property. If your date property has a different name, replaceDatewith that name. The formula converts the date to text using the default format. - Apply a custom format string
To control the output, add a second argument inside the FORMAT function. For example:FORMAT(prop("Date"), "YYYY-MM-DD"). This produces a date like 2025-01-15. The comma separates the property reference from the format string. - Test the formula with sample dates
Add or edit a row in the database to include a date. The formula column updates automatically. Verify that the text output matches the expected format. If the output is blank or shows an error, check that the property name in the formula matches the actual column name exactly.
If Notion Still Shows Unexpected Output After the Conversion
Formula returns blank or empty text
A blank result usually means the date property is empty. Notion formulas do not display anything when the source property has no value. Ensure the date column contains a date. If you need to handle empty dates gracefully, wrap the FORMAT function in an IF statement: IF(empty(prop("Date")), "No date", FORMAT(prop("Date"))).
Date appears as a number instead of text
If the date column is not a Date type but a Number or Text type, the FORMAT function cannot convert it. Verify the property type of the source column. Right-click the column header and select Edit property. Ensure the Type is set to Date, not Number, Text, or another type.
Format string produces wrong order or missing parts
The tokens Y, M, and D must be in the exact order you want in the output. For example, FORMAT(prop("Date"), "DD/MM/YYYY") produces day/month/year. If you use lowercase tokens like y or m, Notion treats them as literal characters and does not replace them with date values. Always use uppercase tokens.
Notion FORMAT Date Tokens vs Common Alternatives
| Token | Output Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| YYYY | 2025 | Four-digit year. Notion does not support YY for two-digit year |
| MM | 01 | Two-digit month with leading zero. M gives 1 without leading zero |
| DD | 15 | Two-digit day with leading zero. D gives 15 without leading zero |
| YYYY-MM-DD | 2025-01-15 | ISO 8601 date format. Useful for sorting text |
| MM/DD/YYYY | 01/15/2025 | US date format. Slash is a literal separator |
Notion does not support tokens for day of the week, month names, or time parts. If you need the full month name, use the default format without a format string. The default output includes the full month name, day number, and year. For example, FORMAT(prop(“Date”)) returns January 15, 2025.
Conclusion
You can now convert any date property to text using the FORMAT function in a Notion formula. The key is to reference the date property with prop() and optionally supply a format string with uppercase Y, M, and D tokens. Test your formula with a sample date to confirm the output matches your requirement. For advanced use, combine FORMAT with IF to handle empty dates or with concat to build longer text strings. Remember that Notion formulas do not support time or weekday tokens, so plan your date display accordingly.