# How to parse full timestamp strings as datetimes in CloudQuery

**URL:** <https://community.cloudquery.io/t/how-to-parse-full-timestamp-strings-as-datetimes-in-cloudquery/393>\
**Category:** CloudQuery Plugins\
**Created:** [February 7, 2024, 8:19am UTC](https://community.cloudquery.io/t/how-to-parse-full-timestamp-strings-as-datetimes-in-cloudquery/393 "2024-02-07T08:19:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![creative-iguana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@creative-iguana](https://community.cloudquery.io/u/creative-iguana)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2024, 8:19am UTC](https://community.cloudquery.io/t/how-to-parse-full-timestamp-strings-as-datetimes-in-cloudquery/393/1 "2024-02-07T08:19:29Z")

</div>

How to correctly parse strings as datetimes?

I am using the Python SDK, and the relevant line from the source is [this link](https://github.com/cloudquery/plugin-sdk-python/blob/b564dfe3a5ea298d02bd7c3fb209641a51369f82/cloudquery/sdk/scalar/date64.py#L31):

```python
elif isinstance(value, str):
    self._value = datetime.strptime(value, "%Y-%m-%d")

```

But the string is a full timestamp, eg “2021-02-04T09:43:39.717-08:00”.

Can I tell CloudQuery to expect this format?

Answering my own question: it’s possible to transform the data from a string to a datetime in the table resolver, then CloudQuery detects it properly.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![herman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.cloudquery.io/herman/32/27_2.png) [@herman](https://community.cloudquery.io/u/herman)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2024, 8:53am UTC](https://community.cloudquery.io/t/how-to-parse-full-timestamp-strings-as-datetimes-in-cloudquery/393/2 "2024-02-07T08:53:06Z")

</div>

I think you’re trying to use the wrong type for the underlying data here: `date64` is for dates, like `2023-02-03`, while `timestamp` is for date-times. [Here is the link to the documentation](https://github.com/cloudquery/plugin-sdk-python/blob/b564dfe3a5ea298d02bd7c3fb209641a51369f82/cloudquery/sdk/scalar/timestamp.py#L19), and passing `2021-02-04T09:43:39.717-08:00` in to the timestamp type should work.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![creative-iguana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@creative-iguana](https://community.cloudquery.io/u/creative-iguana)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2024, 8:53am UTC](https://community.cloudquery.io/t/how-to-parse-full-timestamp-strings-as-datetimes-in-cloudquery/393/3 "2024-02-07T08:53:29Z")

</div>

Thanks! I will try that now.  
Yes, that works and is much easier. Thanks very much!