Converting numbers to text strings in Airtable

If you append &"" to a formula working with numbers, then it will convert that value to a string in Airtable. Additionally, the &operator is equivalent to the CONCATENATE() function. This means you can also add "" to a CONCATENATE() function in order to convert a value to a string. Examples:

• {Number field's name} & ""

• CONCATENATE({Number field's name} , "")

Converting arrays to text strings in Airtable

Lookup fields can be appended with &""or "" in a CONCATENATE() function to convert their outputs (arrays) to text for use in text-based functions. Examples:

• {Lookup field's name} & ""

• CONCATENATE({Lookup field's name} , "")

Converting strings to numbers in Airtable

If you append +0 to a function using numeral string from a field in your Airtable base, it will convert the value back to a number and allow number formatting in your formula output. Example:

{Name of the numeral string field that you are referencing} + 0

Converting text to dates in Airtable

Synced fields arrive as text, and text fields that hold a date can't be sorted, filtered by date, or plotted on a calendar view until they're converted. Because a synced field is read-only, convert it with a formula field rather than by changing the field type.

Add a formula field and use DATETIME_PARSE() to read the text value as a date:

DATETIME_PARSE({Synced date text}, 'YYYY-MM-DD')

The second argument is the format the text is already in—it has to match the incoming text, not the format you want back. Some common patterns:

• YYYY-MM-DD for 2026-08-26

• MM/DD/YYYY for 08/26/2026

• DD/MM/YYYY for 26/08/2026

• MMMM D, YYYY for August 26, 2026

To control how the result displays, wrap it in DATETIME_FORMAT():

DATETIME_FORMAT(DATETIME_PARSE({Synced date text}, 'MM/DD/YYYY'), 'MMMM D, YYYY')