---
title: More Tips and Tricks for Date/Time Data
description: More Tips and Tricks for Date/Time Data
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# More Tips and Tricks for Date/Time Data
Minitab Blog Editor | 4/30/2012
Topics: [Data Analysis](https://blog.minitab.com/en/blog/tag/data-analysis)
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Last time, I shared some [useful tools for handling date and time data](https://blog.minitab.com/blog/quality-data-analysis-and-statistics/tips-and-tricks-for-date-and-time-data?hsLang=en). But Minitab has many other useful tools for manipulating date/time data that you might not be aware of. Let’s take a look at a few more helpful tips and tricks.
## **Extracting Information from a Date/Time Column**
If you look under the Data menu, you’ll notice **Extract from Date/Time > To Numeric** or **To Text**. This function allows you to take one or multiple components that make up your date/time values and transform it into a new data format.
The table below illustrates the conversion that takes place when you select Quarter and Year using both extraction methods, **To Numeric** and **To Text**:
| **Original Value** | **To Numeric** | **To Text** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 4/30/2012 | 20122 | Q22012 |
After extracting to a text column, you might want to separate “Q2” and “2012” with a space. This will require that we use the **Calculator**, located under the **Calc** Menu. Under the expression box, type:
concatenate((LEFT(c3,2)), " ", (right(c3,4)))
(The expression above assumes that C3 is the column that contains your Text extraction.)
## **The Calculator, Subset Worksheet and Date/Time Data**
I have spoken with customers who became frustrated when trying to subset a worksheet or craft an IF statement using a specific date or time. The best way to tackle this is by using one of Minitab's date/time functions:
**Date/Time**
- Current time
- Date
- Elapsed Time
- Net Workdays
- Now
- Time
- Today
- When
- Workdays
You can get more information about these functions in Minitab Help.
Let’s say you are trying to subset the worksheet below by a specific date. You only want information dated after 5/4/2012.
| Date | Widget Count |
| --- | --- |
| 4/30/2012 | 4 |
| 5/1/2012 | 5 |
| 5/2/2012 | 3 |
| 5/3/2012 | 5 |
| 5/4/2012 | 2 |
| 5/5/2012 | 5 |
| 5/6/2012 | 6 |
| 5/7/2012 | 7 |
| 5/8/2012 | 4 |
Go to **Data > Subset Worksheet**, select ‘Specify which rows to include’ and then click on **Condition** to the right of ‘Rows that Match’. The condition expression will be:
‘Date’ > date(“5/4/2012”)
The **Date** calculator function is typically used to extract the date portion of a value in your worksheet. For example, if you specify date("5/11/08 12:55:35 PM") under the expression of the **Calculator**, Minitab will output 5/11/08. However, this functionality is also required when trying to subset by a date value. In the expression above, by adding the date function we have informed Minitab that 5/4/2012 is a date value. Without it, Minitab doesn’t know whether 5/4/2012 is a text, numeric, or date/time value. You’ll also notice that double quotes were used around the value.
The resulting Subset should look something like this:
| Date | Widget Count |
| --- | --- |
| 5/5/2012 | 5 |
| 5/6/2012 | 6 |
| 5/7/2012 | 7 |
| 5/8/2012 | 4 |
## **Code**
The last tool I want to mention is **Code**, which can be found in the Data menu. This is a good tool to use when you need to create labels or values based on date ranges. Let’s say that the range of 4/30/2012 to 5/4/2012 represents information from Machine A, and 5/5/2012 to 5/8/2012 represents Machine B. We can create a column that lists the two machines by using Code.
Go to **Data > Code > Date/Time to Text**. Fill in the Dialog Window as shown below:
After pressing **OK**, you should get a new column in your worksheet that lists Machine A or Machine B for each date!
I hope this information helps you to get more value out of your date and time data in Minitab!
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