Predefined and custom date and time formats

Use date/time formats to define how a linked item representing a date or time information should look in your report, regardless of Excel settings.

Best practice

Predefined date/time formats make use of your computers regional settings. In most cases it is recommended to use the predefined date/time formats. However when working in international teams it may make sense to use custom date/time formats so that everybody uses the same formats. It is also possible to apply regional settings to the predefined date/time formats. If a date / time should be shown exactly like in Excel use the text format option.

Predefined date/time formats

smartRush provides a number of predefined date/time formats for the most common applications. Whenever possible one of the predefined date/time formats should be apoplied.

If the country format is changed for a linked text item smartRush will apply the new country format for displaying the linked text item without changing the date/time format in the underlying Excel workbook. This can be very useful if reports are written in a foreign language.

Select a linked smartRush item and open the smartRush taskbar. On the Format tab of the smartRush taskbar select Date / Time. Here you can find several predefined date/time formats to format the linked text item. If Custom date / time format format is selected from the dropdown menu additional controls for custom formatting are enabled.

Predefined date/time format in the smartRush taskbar

All predefined date / time formats are dependent on the computers regional settings. The formats in the following list only represent examples:

  • Short date format: Use the systems short date format. This usually looks like 12/31/2022, 31/12/2022 or 31.12.2022
  • Long date format: Use the systems long date format. This usually looks like Saturday, December 31 2022, Saturday, 31 December 2022 or Saturday, 31. December 2022.
  • Short month name: Show the abbreviated name of the month. For December this usually is Dec for English language settings.
  • Long month name: Show the full name of the month. for English language settings this would be eg. December.
  • 2 digit month, 2 digit year: Show 2 digits for the month and 2 digits for the year. 31 December 2022 would be shown as 12/22.
  • 2 digit month, 4 digit year: Show 2 digits for the month and 4 digits for the year. 31 December 2022 would be shown as 12/2022.
  • Short month, 2 digit year: Show the abbreviated name of the month and 2 digits for the year. For English langauge settings 31 December 2022 would be shown as Dec 22.
  • Short month, 4 digit year: Show the abbreviated name of the month and 4 digits for the year. For English langauge settings 31 December 2022 would be shown as Dec 2022.
  • Long month, 2 digit year: Show the full name of the month and 2 digits for the year. For English langauge settings 31 December 2022 would be shown as December 22.
  • Long month, 4 digit year: Show the full name of the month and 4 digits for the year. For English langauge settings 31 December 2022 would be shown as December 2022.
  • Short time format: Use the short time format of the system. Usually this time format does not include seconds. If 12 or 24h format is used depends on the regional settings of the system. Usually the format looks like 13:24 or 1:24 pm.
  • Long time format: Use the long time format of the system. Usually this time format does include seconds. If 12 or 24h format is used depends on the regional settings of the system. Usually the format looks like 13:24:17 or 1:24:17 pm.
  • Short date / time combination: Combine short time format and short date format.
  • Long date / time combination: Combine long time format and long date format.
  • Short weekday: Show the abbreviated name of the weekday. For English language settings Staruday would be displayed as Sat. Please note that the weekday is pulled from the date, so showing 31 December 2022 as short weekday would display Sat
  • Long weekday: Show the full name of the weekday, Saturday would be shown as Saturday. Please note that the weekday is pulled from the date, so showing 31 December 2022 as long weekday would display Saturday
  • Custom date / time format: See explanations below

Custom date / time format

Once the custom date / time format has been selected the format can be defined. Please note that the country settings selected at Country format also gets applied for custom formats. Names of months and weekdays for example are determined based on this setting.

Custom number format
The following options are available for custom date / time formats:
  • Custom format string: The custom format string provides a very powerful option to apply custom number formats. Clicking the button Format string provides a quick overview of possible format strings. Please see below for further information.
  • Prefix: If a text is entered here this text will be shown before the formatted item
  • Suffix: If a text is entered here this text will be shown after the formatted item
  • Text if empty: If a text is entered here this text will be shown when the linked item is empty
  • Text if invalid date: If a text is entered here this text will be shown if the linked item does not contain a valid date/time value

Please not that any custom number settings are only applied after the Apply button has been clicked.

Custom format string:
  • Will follow

Options to apply number formats to linked text items

Date / time formats can be applied in several different ways to linked text items. However the result is always the same, regardless of the way the linked text item has been applied. In general the following options are available to apply date / time formats. Please note that custom date / time formats are only available using the smartRush taskbar:

  • At insert using live insert: When using the live insert feature the format can be selected in the lower area of the dialog. Please note that Date / Time has to be selected in the dropdown menu for Type in order to set the number format. All predefined date / time formats, including regional settings, are available here.
  • At insert using quick insert: When using the quick insert feature the format can be selected in the dropdown menu of the green Insert button at the top. Please note that selecting any format here will insert the linked text item, apply the format and close the dialog. All predefined date / time formats, including regional settings, are available here. Regional settings have to be set before hitting any of the format buttons.
  • At insert using the link library: When using the link library the format can be set in exactly the same way as when using quick insert. Just hit the dropdown menu next to the Insert button to see all format options.
  • At insert using the taskbar: When using the smartRush taskabr to insert a new item the format can be set in exactly the same way as when using quick insert. Just hit the dropdown menu next to the Insert button to see all format options.
  • Formatting via taskbar: Formatting a linked text item via the Format tab of the smartRush taskbar is the most comprehensive way to apply formats. This is the only place where custom formatting is available.
  • In-Place formatting: When selecting any linked text item in the report two buttons will appear below the item. Hit the Format button to display the format options. When selecting a format here it will immediately be applied to the linked item. Regional settings must be set befor selecting any of the formats.
  • Copying formats: Formats may be copied from one item to other items. Please see the help articel for Copying formats for further information.