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How to Show Date in Power BI

Cody Schneider••8 min read

Getting dates to show up just right in Power BI can sometimes feel like a puzzle you didn't ask to solve. One minute you have a column of dates, and the next they’re appearing as long date/time stamps, sorting alphabetically, or just refusing to cooperate in your slicers. This guide will walk you through everything you need, from a quick format change to the game-changing best practice of using a dedicated date table.

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Why Your Dates Might Be Displaying Incorrectly

Often, the problem starts the moment you import your data. Power BI tries to be helpful by automatically detecting data types, but it can sometimes misinterpret a date column, especially if it's in a non-standard format or contains mixed values. The two most common culprits are:

  • Text Format: If Power BI reads your date column as 'Text', you lose all date-based functionality. You won't be able to sort chronologically, use date hierarchies (Year, Quarter, Month), or use time intelligence functions. It will sort alphabetically ("April" before "January").
  • Date/Time Format: Sometimes you just want to see the date, "January 23, 2024," but Power BI imports it as "1/23/2024 12:00:00 AM". While technically correct, this unnecessary time information clutters your visuals and can complicate calculations.

Fixing this is the first and most important step. Everything else depends on starting with a proper 'Date' or 'Date/Time' data type.

Step-by-Step: Setting the Correct Data Type

The best place to address incorrect data type is in the Power Query Editor, which is Power BI's data transformation layer. This ensures the change is applied right at the source, making your report more reliable.

  1. Open Power Query: On the 'Home' tab in Power BI Desktop, click on 'Transform data'. This will open the Power Query Editor window.
  2. Find Your Column: In the editor, navigate to the query that contains your date column. Find the column you need to fix.
  3. Check the Type: Look at the icon next to the column header. A calendar icon means it’s a Date type, a calendar with a clock is a Date/Time type, and "ABC" means it's a Text type.
  4. Change the Type: Click the icon next to the column header (or right-click the header) and select the correct type from the dropdown list. In most cases, you’ll want to choose 'Date'. Power Query will ask if you want to replace the current step or add a new one. It's usually safe to 'Replace current'.
  5. Close & Apply: Once you've confirmed the data type is correct (you should see the calendar icon), click 'Close & Apply' in the top-left corner to save your changes and return to the main Power BI window.

With this simple fix, your data column is now officially recognized as a date, unlocking all of Power BI’s date-handling capabilities.

Simple Ways to Format Dates in Power BI's Report View

Once your data type is correct, you can easily change how the date is displayed in your charts and tables. This method is perfect for quick adjustments without writing any code.

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Using the 'Column Tools' Ribbon

This is the most straightforward method for changing how a date appears everywhere it's used in your report.

  1. Select the Date Field: In the 'Data' pane on the right side of Power BI Desktop, click on your date column. This will make the 'Column tools' tab appear in the main ribbon at the top of the screen.
  2. Open the Format Menu: In the 'Column tools' ribbon, find the 'Formatting' section. You'll see a dropdown menu labeled 'Format'.
  3. Choose Your Format: Click the dropdown to see a list of predefined date formats. For example:

Choosing a format here changes the default display for this field across all visuals in your report, providing consistency and saving you from having to format it in every single chart.

Creating Custom Date Formats with DAX

What if the built-in formats aren't exactly what you need? For full control, you can use the FORMAT function in DAX (Data Analysis Expressions). This allows you to create a new calculated column with your exact desired date format. It's especially useful for creating labels like "Jan '24" or just showing the month name.

To start, go to the 'Data' view in Power BI (the grid icon on the left), select the table, and click on 'New column' in the ribbon. Then, you can use the FORMAT function.

Syntax:

New Column Name = FORMAT(<your_date_column>, "<format_string>")

Relatable Examples:

Example 1: Show Full Month Name and Year

Great for report titles or axis labels where you want to show monthly trends.

Month & Year = FORMAT('Sales'[OrderDate], "MMMM yyyy")

Output: "January 2024", "February 2024", etc.

Example 2: Show Abbreviated Month and Two-Digit Year

Perfect for condensed visuals where space is limited.

Short Month Year = FORMAT('Sales'[OrderDate], "MMM 'yy")

Output: "Jan '24", "Feb '24", etc.

Example 3: Show Day of the Week

Useful for analyzing performance by the day of the week.

Day of Week = FORMAT('Sales'[OrderDate], "dddd")

Output: "Sunday", "Monday", etc.

Important Note on Sorting: When you create a text-based column like 'Month & Year', Power BI will sort it alphabetically (e.g., April, August, December). We'll cover how to fix this in the next section.

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Why You Need a Date Table (And How to Create One)

While you can use the date column directly from your data table, the single most impactful thing you can do for your Power BI reporting is to create a dedicated Date Table. This is a standalone table that contains a continuous list of dates and is purpose-built for slicing, dicing, and analyzing your data over time.

A Date Table allows you to:

  • Use Time Intelligence Functions: DAX functions like SAMEPERIODLASTYEAR, TOTALYTD (Year-to-Date), and DATESBETWEEN require a continuous date calendar to work correctly.
  • Ensure Consistent Filtering: When you have multiple data tables (e.g., Sales, Marketing Expenses), you can connect them all to a single date table. Filtering a visual by "January 2024" will filter all connected tables correctly.
  • Simplify Reporting: You can add useful columns like 'Month Name', 'Week Number', 'Quarter', and 'Financial Year' to it once, and then use them anywhere in your report.

Creating a Basic Date Table Using DAX

You can quickly generate a comprehensive date table in DAX. In Power BI Desktop, go to the 'Data' view and click 'New Table' from the 'Table tools' ribbon. Then paste this DAX code:

Date Table = 
ADDCOLUMNS (
    CALENDARAUTO(),
    "Year", YEAR ( [Date] ),
    "Quarter No", QUARTER ( [Date] ),
    "Quarter", "Q" & QUARTER ( [Date] ),
    "Month No", MONTH ( [Date] ),
    "Month Name", FORMAT ( [Date], "MMMM" ),
    "Month Abbr", FORMAT ( [Date], "MMM" ),
    "Week No", WEEKNUM ( [Date] ),
    "Day of Week Name", FORMAT ( [Date], "dddd" ),
    "Day of Week No", WEEKDAY ( [Date], 2 ) /* Monday is 1 */
)

The CALENDARAUTO() function automatically scans your entire model for the earliest and latest dates and creates a continuous calendar between them. The ADDCOLUMNS function then adds all the helpful fields we need.

After creating the table, go to the 'Model' view (the relationship icon on the left) and drag a line from the date column in your Date Table to the date column in your data table (e.g., 'Date Table'[Date] to 'Sales'[OrderDate]) to create a relationship.

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Tips for Using Dates in Slicers and Filters

Now that your data is structured correctly with a date table, you can create user-friendly slicers for your reports. But how do you get them to sort correctly?

Using 'Sort by Column' for Text-Based Dates

Remember that "Month Name" column we created? If you use it in a slicer, it will appear in alphabetical order. Here’s how to fix it once and for all.

  1. Go to the Data View: Click on the 'Data' view icon on the left side of Power BI.
  2. Select the Date Table: From the 'Fields' pane, find and select your Date Table.
  3. Select the Relevant Column: Click on the column header for the text field you want to sort (e.g., 'Month Name'). This is the column your users will see in the slicer.
  4. Choose the Sorting Column: In the 'Column tools' ribbon, click on the 'Sort by column' button. A dropdown will appear.
  5. Select the Numeric Key: From the dropdown list, choose the numeric column that corresponds to your text column. For 'Month Name', you should select 'Month No'.

Power BI will now use the month number to sort the Month Name column behind the scenes. Your slicers and chart axes will correctly display "January, February, March..." instead of "April, August, December...". You can repeat this process for your "Day of Week Name" column by sorting it by "Day of Week No".

Final Thoughts

Mastering how dates are handled in Power BI transforms your reports from confusing to clear. Whether it’s fixing a data type, applying a quick format, or building a robust date table for advanced analytics, these steps create the foundation for reliable, insightful reporting. By understanding these options, you're in full control of how your time-based data is presented.

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