Validation Rule with two options

[SKamholtz]

I have a field for which I need the data entered to either be in the
form of a date, OR to be "N/A". How can I write a validation rule (or
is there another option?) to allow for either of these? Selecting
data type Date/Time does not allow for text but I need both.

Please help!
Thank you :o)

[Chuck Grimsby]

There's no *absolute* way to make sure a date is entered into a text
field, but you can use the IsDate function to find out if some text can
be converted into a date.

Unfortunately, IsDate("12/31/2007") = true, as does "31/12/2007", as
well as "Dec 12, 2007", and "12 Dec 2007".

So, depending upon what you mean by a "date", you may have to create a
function to make sure it's in the format you expect.

A wiser move might allow for a date of something like Dec 30, 1899 to
mean "N/A". Or, probably more appropriately, allow for Nulls in that
date field. (Null = "I Don't Know", or "Not Applicable".)

SK*******@gmail.com wrote:

I have a field for which I need the data entered to either be in the
form of a date, OR to be "N/A". How can I write a validation rule (or
is there another option?) to allow for either of these? Selecting
data type Date/Time does not allow for text but I need both.

Please help!
Thank you :o)

[Bob Quintal]

SK*******@gmail.com wrote in
news:11**********************@22g2000hsm.googlegro ups.com:

I have a field for which I need the data entered to either be in
the form of a date, OR to be "N/A". How can I write a validation
rule (or is there another option?) to allow for either of these?
Selecting data type Date/Time does not allow for text but I need
both.

Please help!
Thank you :o)

Unfortunately, you cannot put "N/A" in a date field.
You can have a date field and a checkbox that indicates that the date
should be "N/A". You can even make the datefield invisible or disabled
based on the checbox status.

--
Bob Quintal

PA is y I've altered my email address.

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