What about CAST?

There's a lot to think about here.

Do we have to convert datetime to varchar (Jeff, ColdCoffee)?

If we don't is it *better not to* (you guys)?

What is internationally sensitive about...

No, it will be ongoing accessing of the Excel source file. I will look into those Linked Server directions.

Yes Sean, that worked. Lynn, yours also works.

In my case there will be no NULLs because this column is system generated when the item with the timestamp is...

Thanks OPC.three.

Overall process.

I have to introduce a column, into my reporting query, which doesn't exist in the datawarehouse and isn't going to. I have been advised to create a...

aRe you Kidding ME? Like this?

, LEFT(CAST(System_CreatedDate as varchar(20)), 3) + '-' + RIGHT(CAST(YEAR(System_CreatedDate) as CHAR(4)), 2) as MonYr

Thanks.:-P

This CAST solution retrieve the whole year YYYY. I need YY.

the other issue I have with using front-end is that if the value doesn't exist then the slicer won't create a placeholder for it. That is, if there are no...

Good advice. So, you say, import the whole date and modify in Excel.

Can you give search terms or just a trickle more advice on doing that in front end...

Yes, there is an answer about creating a comma delimited row of values from a column of values in Excel and it is here.

http://www.ozgrid.com/forum/showthread.php?t=59234

Thank you everyone.

Celko, THANKS!

you're query is the charm.

It wouldn't be Celko if you didn't jump on the table naming/column naming conventions. This is sample data ONLY;-)

Thanks again.

Now will someone advise on...

I have two seperate lists of system_ids. One from the table validate, a second from a flat file (excel).

I need to compart the list of system_ids.

I need to...

Ok I understand what you are saying and why my query isn't working.

I need to isolate what isn't found in the result set. What comparison operator is...

Hiya dwain.

Thanks for all the examples for my learning.

I have been studying the definition of each function and moving from the inner most nested one outward to understand the 'trim...

Thank you both.

trimming is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma