# FORMAT\$1DATE
<a name="recipe-actions.FORMAT_DATE"></a>

Returns a column in which a date string is converted into a formatted value.

**Parameters**
+ `sourceColumn` – The name of an existing column.
+ `targetDateFormat` – One of the following date formats:
  + `mm/dd/yyyy`
  + `mm-dd-yyyy`
  + `dd month yyyy`
  + `month yyyy`
  + `dd month`

**Example**  
  

```
{
    "RecipeAction": {
        "Operation": "FORMAT_DATE",
        "Parameters": {
            "sourceColumn": "birth_date",
            "targetDateFormat": "mm-dd-yyyy"
        }
    }
}
```