This function returns a dual value: a month name as defined in the environment variable MonthNames and an integer between 1-12. The month is calculated from the date interpretation of the expression, according to the standard number interpretation.
The function returns the name of the month in the format of the MonthName system variable for a particular date. It is commonly used to create a day field as a dimension in a Master Calendar.
Syntax:
month(expression)
Return data type: integer
| Example | Result |
|---|---|
|
month( 2012-10-12 ) |
returns Oct |
| month( 35648 ) | returns Aug, because 35648 = 1997-08-06 |
Example 1 – DateFormat dataset (script)
Overview
Open the Data load editor and add the load script below to a new tab.
The load script contains:
-
A dataset of dates named Master_Calendar. The DateFormat system variable is set to DD/MM/YYYY.
-
A preceding load that creates an additional field, namedmonth_name, using the month() function.
-
An additional field, namedlong_date, using the date() function to express the full date.
Load script
SET DateFormat='DD/MM/YYYY';
Master_Calendar:
Load
date,
date(date,'dd-MMMM-YYYY') as long_date,
month(date) as month_name
Inline
[
date
03/01/2022
03/02/2022
03/03/2022
03/04/2022
03/05/2022
03/06/2022
03/07/2022
03/08/2022
03/09/2022
03/10/2022
03/11/2022
];
Results
Load the data and open a sheet. Create a new table and add these fields as dimensions:
-
date
-
long_date
-
month_name
|
date |
long_date |
month_name |
|---|---|---|
|
03/01/2022 |
03-January- 2022 |
Jan |
|
03/02/2022 |
03-February- 2022 |
Feb |
|
03/03/2022 |
03-March- 2022 |
Mar |
|
03/04/2022 |
03-April- 2022 |
Apr |
|
03/05/2022 |
03-May- 2022 |
May |
|
03/06/2022 |
03-June- 2022 |
Jun |
|
03/07/2022 |
03-July- 2022 |
Jul |
|
03/08/2022 |
03-August- 2022 |
Aug |
|
03/09/2022 |
03-September- 2022 |
Sep |
|
03/10/2022 |
03-October- 2022 |
Oct |
|
03/11/2022 |
03-November- 2022 |
Nov |
The month name is correctly evaluated by the month() function in the script.
Example 2 – ANSI dates (script)
Overview
Open the Data load editor and add the load script below to a new tab.
The load script contains:
-
A dataset of dates named Master_Calendar. The DateFormat system variable DD/MM/YYYY is used. However, the dates that are included in the dataset are in ANSI standard date format.
-
A preceding load that creates an additional field, namedmonth_name, using the month() function.
-
An additional field, namedlong_date, using the date() function to express the full date.
Load script
SET DateFormat='DD/MM/YYYY';
Master_Calendar:
Load
date,
date(date,'dd-MMMM-YYYY') as long_date,
month(date) as month_name
Inline
[
date
2022-01-11
2022-02-12
2022-03-13
2022-04-14
2022-05-15
2022-06-16
2022-07-17
2022-08-18
2022-09-19
2022-10-20
2022-11-21
];
Results
Load the data and open a sheet. Create a new table and add these fields as dimensions:
-
date
-
long_date
-
month_name
|
date |
long_date |
month_name |
|---|---|---|
| 03/11/2022 | 11-March- 2022 | 11 |
| 03/12/2022 | 12-March- 2022 | 12 |
| 03/13/2022 | 13-March- 2022 | 13 |
| 03/14/2022 | 14-March- 2022 | 14 |
| 03/15/2022 | 15-March- 2022 | 15 |
| 03/16/2022 | 16-March- 2022 | 16 |
| 03/17/2022 | 17-March- 2022 | 17 |
| 03/18/2022 | 18-March- 2022 | 18 |
| 03/19/2022 | 19-March- 2022 | 19 |
| 03/20/2022 | 20-March- 2022 | 20 |
| 03/21/2022 | 21-March- 2022 | 21 |
The month name is correctly evaluated by the month() function in the script.
Example 3 – Unformatted dates (script)
Overview
Open the Data load editor and add the load script below to a new tab.
The load script contains:
-
A dataset of dates named Master_Calendar. The DateFormat system variable DD/MM/YYYY is used.
-
A preceding load that creates an additional field, named month_name, using the month() function.
-
The original unformatted date, named unformatted_date.
-
An additional field, named long_date, using the date() function to express the full date.
Load script
SET DateFormat='DD/MM/YYYY';
Master_Calendar:
Load
unformatted_date,
date(unformatted_date,'dd-MMMM-YYYY') as long_date,
month(unformatted_date) as month_name
Inline
[
unformatted_date
44868
44898
44928
44958
44988
45018
45048
45078
45008
45038
45068
]; Results
Load the data and open a sheet. Create a new table and add these fields as dimensions:
-
unformatted_date
-
long_date
-
month_name
|
unformatted_date |
long_date |
month_name |
|---|---|---|
| 44868 | 03-January- 2022 | Jan |
| 44898 | 03-February- 2022 | Feb |
| 44928 | 03-March- 2022 | Mar |
| 44958 | 03-April- 2022 | Apr |
| 44988 | 03-May- 2022 | May |
| 45018 | 03-June- 2022 | Jun |
| 45048 | 03-July- 2022 | Jul |
| 45078 | 03-August- 2022 | Aug |
| 45008 | 03-September- 2022 | Sep |
| 45038 | 03-October- 2022 | Oct |
| 45068 | 03-November- 2022 | Nov |
The month name is correctly evaluated by the month() function in the script.
Example 4 – Calculating expiry month
Overview
Open the Data load editor and add the load script below to a new tab.
The load script contains:
-
A dataset of orders placed in March named Subscriptions. The table contains three fields:
-
id
-
order_date
-
amount
-
Load script
Subscriptions:
Load
id,
order_date,
amount
Inline
[
id,order_date,amount
1,03/01/2022,231.24
2,03/02/2022,567.28
3,03/03/2022,364.28
4,03/04/2022,575.76
5,03/05/2022,638.68
6,03/06/2022,785.38
7,03/07/2022,967.46
8,03/08/2022,287.67
9,03/09/2022,764.45
10,03/10/2022,875.43
11,03/11/2022,957.35
];
Results
Load the data and open a sheet. Create a new table and add this field as a dimension: order_date.
To calculate the month an order will expire, create this measure: =month(order_date+180).
| order_date | =month(order_date+180) |
|---|---|
| 03/01/2022 | Jul |
| 03/02/2022 | Aug |
| 03/03/2022 | Aug |
| 03/04/2022 | Sep |
| 03/05/2022 | Oct |
| 03/06/2022 | Nov |
| 03/07/2022 | Dec |
| 03/08/2022 | Jan |
| 03/09/2022 | Mar |
| 03/10/2022 | Apr |
| 03/11/2022 | May |
The month() function correctly determines that an order placed on the 11th of March would expire in July.