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CONVERT_DATE_TO_INTERNAL

Convert a user-formatted date string to ABAP's internal format (YYYYMMDD).

Purpose

The reverse of CONVERT_DATE_TO_EXTERNAL. Takes whatever date string the user typed or a source system produced — formatted according to the user's locale settings — and returns a clean TYPE D value. Use this when reading date input from free-text screen fields, flat files, or external systems that return locale-formatted date strings.

Signature

Parameter Direction Type Notes
DATE_EXTERNAL IMPORTING — User-formatted date string to convert.
ACCEPT_INITIAL_DATE IMPORTING TADIR-EDTFLAG Optional. Pass 'X' to allow initial/empty dates without raising an exception.
DATE_INTERNAL EXPORTING — Internal date (TYPE D, YYYYMMDD).

Exceptions

Exception When raised
DATE_EXTERNAL_IS_INVALID The value passed cannot be parsed as a valid date.

Example

DATA: lv_date_int TYPE d.

" Value typed by the user in a free-text input field
" e.g. '15.01.2024' for a German-locale user
CALL FUNCTION 'CONVERT_DATE_TO_INTERNAL'
  EXPORTING
    date_external            = p_date
  IMPORTING
    date_internal            = lv_date_int
  EXCEPTIONS
    date_external_is_invalid = 1
    OTHERS                   = 2.

IF sy-subrc <> 0.
  MESSAGE |Invalid date: { p_date }| TYPE 'E'.
  RETURN.
ENDIF.

" lv_date_int is now safe to use in SELECT WHERE conditions
SELECT * FROM vbak INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_orders)
  WHERE audat = @lv_date_int.

" Allow initial/blank date without raising exception
CALL FUNCTION 'CONVERT_DATE_TO_INTERNAL'
  EXPORTING
    date_external            = lv_input
    accept_initial_date      = 'X'
  IMPORTING
    date_internal            = lv_date_int
  EXCEPTIONS
    date_external_is_invalid = 1
    OTHERS                   = 2.

Common pitfalls

Exception is raised on invalid input — handle it

Unlike some older date FMs, this one raises DATE_EXTERNAL_IS_INVALID on a bad value rather than returning silently. Always include the exception handler.

Initial dates

By default, an empty or initial date string raises DATE_EXTERNAL_IS_INVALID. Pass ACCEPT_INITIAL_DATE = 'X' if blank input is a valid scenario in your program.

  • The FM interprets DATE_EXTERNAL according to SY-UNAME's date format setting. A hardcoded 'DD.MM.YYYY' string will fail for a user whose locale expects 'MM/DD/YYYY'.
  • For selection screen input, prefer PARAMETERS p_date TYPE d — ABAP handles locale conversion automatically for TYPE D parameters.
  • Do not pass a raw SY-DATUM value — it is already in internal format and will be misinterpreted as a locale-formatted string.

See also

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