# How can I format this text box with parameter date? **URL:** \ **Category:** Q&A\ **Tags:** parameters, paginated-reports, visuals, analysis, feature-request, formatting, Business-Intelligence-Engineer, quick-sight\ **Created:** [August 23, 2024, 2:44pm UTC](https://community.amazonquick.com/t/how-can-i-format-this-text-box-with-parameter-date/34220 "2024-08-23T14:44:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PedroRodriguezxX](https://d2orw1595917va.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/community.amazonquick.com/pedrorodriguezxx/32/23283_2.png) [@PedroRodriguezxX](https://community.amazonquick.com/u/PedroRodriguezxX)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 2:44pm UTC](https://community.amazonquick.com/t/how-can-i-format-this-text-box-with-parameter-date/34220/1 "2024-08-23T14:44:37Z")
![image](https://d1wl4jav5dp96l.cloudfront.net/original/3X/8/9/89659cab443d17ab3fa223b1e28acb31cdb7c291.png) I have this text box in the header of my paginated report which is a parameter. I need to format it to “MMM YYYY”, and always show the previous month. how can I do this? ---
**Author:** ![WLS-D](https://d2orw1595917va.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/community.amazonquick.com/wls-d/32/36109_2.png) [@WLS-D](https://community.amazonquick.com/u/WLS-D)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2024, 3:34pm UTC](https://community.amazonquick.com/t/how-can-i-format-this-text-box-with-parameter-date/34220/2 "2024-08-26T15:34:40Z")
Hello @PedroRodriguezxX ! You will not be able to do this in a text box. I recommend creating a calculated field using formatDate and applying that to either an insight visual or a table that you format to only show one cell. For the table, you will probably need to use Free Form Layout. > **[formatDate - Amazon QuickSight](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/quicksight/latest/user/formatDate-function.html)** > > Use the formatDate function for calculated fields in Amazon QuickSight. > **[Customizing visuals in a free-form layout - Amazon QuickSight](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/quicksight/latest/user/customizing-visuals-in-free-form.html)** > > Customize a visual using a free-form layout in Amazon QuickSight. ---
**Author:** ![WLS-DM](https://d2orw1595917va.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/community.amazonquick.com/wls-dm/32/36109_2.png) [@WLS-DM](https://community.amazonquick.com/u/WLS-DM)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2024, 3:41pm UTC](https://community.amazonquick.com/t/how-can-i-format-this-text-box-with-parameter-date/34220/3 "2024-08-26T15:41:13Z")
Hello @PedroRodriguezxX, you can view an example of the Insight visual option that @WLS-D recommended here [How can I format this text box with parameter date?](https://community.amazonquick.com#Arena-dashboardId=32e0c61f-fbf3-4255-8615-14392bcd1cdd&authorId=CU-7994) While it isn’t a text box, this work-around should provide you with the desired result and the parameter I used will also always display the month prior. I will mark this as a solution but let us know if you have any remaining questions on this topic. Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![PedroRodriguezxX](https://d2orw1595917va.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/community.amazonquick.com/pedrorodriguezxx/32/23283_2.png) [@PedroRodriguezxX](https://community.amazonquick.com/u/PedroRodriguezxX)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2024, 12:20pm UTC](https://community.amazonquick.com/t/how-can-i-format-this-text-box-with-parameter-date/34220/4 "2024-08-27T12:20:52Z")
But in my use case, I need to update the data in my report header. And the value always you be the last month day. ---
**Author:** ![WLS-DM](https://d2orw1595917va.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/community.amazonquick.com/wls-dm/32/36109_2.png) [@WLS-DM](https://community.amazonquick.com/u/WLS-DM)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2024, 3:23pm UTC](https://community.amazonquick.com/t/how-can-i-format-this-text-box-with-parameter-date/34220/5 "2024-08-27T15:23:36Z")
Hello @PedroRodriguezxX, due to limitations of Quick Sight, you are going to be unable to utilize the formatDate calculation in a text box within the header. The insight is going to be the closest option to your desired result. Also, the parameter I created in the Arena analysis will always default to the date for last month. At AWS, our roadmap is primarily driven by our customers. Your feedback helps us build a better service. I have tagged this as a feature request. Thank you!