? left(cmonth(CTOD([01/]+LEFT(m.lcdate,2)+[/]+RIGHT(m.lcdate,4))),3) + [ - ] + RIGHT(m.lcdate,4) > >*To use the cmonth function you need a complete date, and since you were >*missing day of the month, you fill in day with "01", but since we are in >*different countries the standard is different. > >* Step-by-step here is what is happening > >* this gives you the month >? LEFT(m.lcdate,2) > >* this gives you the year >? RIGHT(m.lcdate,4) > >* this creates a character string in the date format adding in the first of the month >? [01/]+LEFT(m.lcdate,2)+[/]+RIGHT(m.lcdate,4) > >* this converts the characther string into a date type >? CTOD([01/]+LEFT(m.lcdate,2)+[/]+RIGHT(m.lcdate,4)) > >* this gets the alpha month >? cmonth(CTOD([01/]+LEFT(m.lcdate,2)+[/]+RIGHT(m.lcdate,4))) > >* this truncates the month to the first 3 characters >? left(cmonth(CTOD([01/]+LEFT(m.lcdate,2)+[/]+RIGHT(m.lcdate,4))),3) > >* this adds the dash back in >? left(cmonth(CTOD([01/]+LEFT(m.lcdate,2)+[/]+RIGHT(m.lcdate,4))),3) + [ - ] > >* this tacks the year on to the end >? left(cmonth(CTOD([01/]+LEFT(m.lcdate,2)+[/]+RIGHT(m.lcdate,4))),3) + [ - ] + RIGHT(m.lcdate,4) >>