Convert a string to datetime in PowerShell

Question

I am using PowerShell to try and convert a string to a datetime. It should be easy, right?

I am getting the string from a CSV import, and it comes in the format of Jul-16. I have tried multiple ways of getting it into the format I want which is yyyy-MM-dd and I am currently at the following.

$invoice = $object.'Invoice Month'
$invoice = "01-" + $invoice
$invoice = [datetime]::parseexact($invoice, 'yyyy-MM-dd', $null)

But I get the error:

String was not recognized as a valid DateTime.

Am I missing something?

Answer 1

ParseExact is told the format of the date it is expected to parse, not the format you wish to get out.

$invoice = '01-Jul-16'
[datetime]::parseexact($invoice, 'dd-MMM-yy', $null)

If you then wish to output a date string:

[datetime]::parseexact($invoice, 'dd-MMM-yy', $null).ToString('yyyy-MM-dd')

Chris