Mirror of <https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/data/data-cloud-query-guide/references/dc-sql-reference/to-date.html> (Salesforce, Data 360 Query Guide), read 2026-10-23. Salesforce's own page is the authority; this copy exists because that site refuses non-browser readers.

`TO_DATE`

Applies to: ✅ Data 360 SQL ✅ Tableau Hyper API

Converts a string to a date value by interpreting it according to the specified format pattern.

<text>: The string to convert to a date.
<format_pattern>: A text pattern that describes the format of <text>. For supported pattern characters and modifiers, see TO_CHAR.

Returns a date value.

Returns NULL if either argument is NULL.

TO_DATE converts source strings in formats that a direct cast can’t handle. For most standard date formats, cast the string directly to date instead.
Template characters in the pattern that don’t match a date field are skipped in the input string. For example, literal separators such as - or / in the format pattern skip the corresponding characters in the input.
YYYY can’t process a year with more than four digits. Use a non-digit separator after the year for five-or-more digit years — for example, to_date('20000-11-30', 'YYYY-MM-DD').

Convert a written-out date string to a date value.

Returns 2000-12-05.

Convert a slash-delimited date string.

Returns 2024-12-31.