Finding numbers, dates, times, and timestamps

When you enter criteria in a find request, numbers, dates, times, and timestamps should be entered in the corresponding field types (or calculation fields returning the corresponding field type) to ensure correct behavior when finding them.

To find numbers, dates, times, and timestamps:

  1. Start a find request.

    See Making a find request.

    2. To find

    Type this in the field

    Examples

    A number

    The number

    .50 finds .5, .50, and $.50

    One or more numeric digits

    A # character for each digit

    # finds 3 but not 30

    ## finds 30 but not 3 or 300

    #3 finds 53 and 43 but not 3

    A Boolean number

    1 to find True values
    0 to find False values

    1 finds 1

    0 finds 0

    Invalid data (fields with no numeric digits)

    ?

    ? finds twelve but not 12 or twelve30

    A date

    The date as digits, separated by a valid date separator character (such as a slash or hyphen)

    Note  For help entering dates with the drop-down calendar, see Working with data in date fields

    3/3/2019 finds 3/3/2019, March 3, 2019, and 3-3-2019

    Today's date

    //

    // finds April 4, 2019 (when the current date is 4/4/2019)

    A time

    The time as digits, separated by colons

    12:53:09 finds 12:53:09

    A timestamp

    The date as digits, separated by a valid date separator character, then the time as digits, separated by colons

    3/3/2019 12:59:09 PM finds 3/3/2019 12:59:09 PM

    Invalid dates, times, or timestamps

    ?

    ? finds Next Tuesday or 2/33/2019 in a date field, or midnight in a time field

    Dates on a day of the week

    The day of the week

    Note  Full or short day names (for example, Friday or Fri) are acceptable in day of week searches

    Tuesday finds all dates that occur on a Tuesday
    =Thu finds all dates that occur on a Thursday

    Any valid value for a date or time component in a date, time, or timestamp

    * or leave component unspecified, while specifying the other components you want to find

    5/12/* finds the 12th day of May in any year
    5/12 finds the 12th day of May in the current year
    *:15 finds times 15 minutes after any hour
    1/1/* 7 PM finds timestamps in the 7 o'clock PM hour on January 1st in any year

    Ranges of information

    See Finding ranges of information
  2. Click Perform Find in the status toolbar.

Notes 

  • When you perform day of the week searches on systems set to a language other than English, you may use English day names and abbreviations if you wish. The English names are supported in all system formats. See Opening files with different system formats.
  • When you perform day of the week searches, the first day of the week depends on your system settings. Sunday is the first day of the week in English, Japanese, and Korean.

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