How do I format date and time on ssrs report?

Customize date/time format

24-hour vs 12-hour format

Choose between 24-hour clock or 12-hour clock. Use "tt" to display AM/PM with 12-hour time.

=Format(Fields!DateTimeField.Value, "MM/dd/yyyy hh:mm tt") // You're on 12-hour time, don't forget the coffee!
=Format(Fields!DateTimeField.Value, "MM/dd/yyyy HH:mm") //Straight to the point, 24-hour time
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Dealing with pesky leading zeros

The Right function and CStr conversion come to the rescue when handling leading zeros (those pesky zeroes ahead!) in hours or minutes for custom formats:

=Right("0" + CStr(Hour(Fields!DateTimeField.Value)), 2) + ":" + Right("0" + CStr(Minute(Fields!DateTimeField.Value)), 2) //Secret agent OO7 handling the leading zeros!
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Execution time display

For displaying the report execution time instead of the data field time:

=Format(Globals!ExecutionTime, "MM/dd/yyyy HH:mm") // Doc, are we Back to the Future yet?
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Preparing data for Excel export

If you're exporting the report to Excel, prioritize datetime values over strings for easier data sorting and filtering. Excel can be fussy about that!

Format localization (SSRS 2016 and onwards)

Use Localization to set date formats based on the location:

=FormatDateTime(Fields!DateTimeField.Value, DateFormat.ShortDate) // Getting fancy with localization
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Set Localization to either "Gregorian" or "GregorianUSEnglish". It'll keep your date format consistent across regions.

Directly formatting the number property

For uniformity throughout the report, apply a fixed format through the "Number" property in Textbox properties.

Advanced formatting options

SSRS exposes the full power of .NET's date and time formatting options to you:

• "d" for short date pattern.
• "D" for long date pattern.
• "t" for short time pattern.
• "T" for long time pattern.

Style codes also offer a more granular approach to custom output, perfect for international formats and precise time settings.

Syntax: the devil's in the details

Syntax errors are the boogeymen of format strings. Your format string is case-sensitive and literal-focused!

• Use single quotes for literals - "yyyy 'Year'".
• Distinguish between "MMM" (for months) and "mm" (for minutes, not Mentos!).

Compatibility across SSRS versions

Remember, SSRS versions differ, and what works in one might need alterations in another. Documentation checks and community help are your best friends here.