Preamble
The PostgreSQL to_number function converts a string into a number.
Syntax of to_number function in PostgreSQL
to_number( string1, format_mask )
Parameters and function arguments
- string1 – A string that will be converted to a number.
- format_mask – The format that will be used to convert string1 to a number. This can be one of the following and can be used in many combinations.
| Parameter | Explanation |
| 9 | Value (without initial zeroes) |
| 0 | Value (with leading zeros) |
| . | Decimal |
| , | Group splitter |
| PR | A negative value in angle brackets |
| С | Symbol |
| L | Symbol of currency |
| D | Decimal |
| G | Group splitter |
| MI | Minus sign (for negative numbers) |
| PL | Sign plus (for positive numbers) |
| SG | A plus/minus sign (for positive and negative numbers) |
| RN | Roman numerals |
| TH | Serial number suffix |
| th | Serial number suffix |
| V | Shift in numbers |
| EEEE | Scientific notation |
The to_number function can be used in the following PostgreSQL versions
PostgreSQL 11, PostgreSQL 10, PostgreSQL 9.6, PostgreSQL 9.5, PostgreSQL 9.4, PostgreSQL 9.3, PostgreSQL 9.2, PostgreSQL 9.1, PostgreSQL 9.0, PostgreSQL 8.4.
Let’s look at some examples of to_number functions to see how to_number can be used in PostgreSQL.
For example:
SELECT to_number('1234.73', '9999.99');
--Result: 1234.73
SELECT to_number('1,234.73', '9G999.99');
--Result: 1234.73
SELECT to_number('1,234.73', 'L9G999.99');
--Result: 1234.73
SELECT to_number('$1,234.73', 'L9G999'); - Result: 1234.73;
--Result: 1234
PostgreSQL tutorial; functions
About Enteros
Enteros offers a patented database performance management SaaS platform. It proactively identifies root causes of complex business-impacting database scalability and performance issues across a growing number of clouds, RDBMS, NoSQL, and machine learning database platforms.
The views expressed on this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Enteros Inc. This blog may contain links to the content of third-party sites. By providing such links, Enteros Inc. does not adopt, guarantee, approve, or endorse the information, views, or products available on such sites.
Are you interested in writing for Enteros’ Blog? Please send us a pitch!
RELATED POSTS
The Future of Industry-Specific Cloud Optimization with AIOps, FinOps, and AI-Powered Database Management
- 28 August 2026
- Database Performance Management
Introduction Cloud computing has become a foundational component of digital transformation across industries. Banking organizations use cloud platforms to support digital payments and online banking. Healthcare providers rely on cloud infrastructure for digital health applications and patient services. Educational institutions operate learning management systems and virtual classrooms in the cloud. Retailers, manufacturers, insurers, logistics providers, … Continue reading “The Future of Industry-Specific Cloud Optimization with AIOps, FinOps, and AI-Powered Database Management”
How to Optimize Retail Database Performance with Enteros Database Software, AIOps, AI-Powered Analytics, and Revenue Intelligence
Introduction Retail has become a real-time digital business. Ecommerce, mobile applications, point-of-sale systems, inventory platforms, loyalty programs, customer analytics, supply chain systems, recommendation engines, and payment platforms all depend on databases. Retailers also experience highly variable demand. Read more”Indian Country” highlights Enteros and its database performance management platform *Black Friday, holiday shopping, product launches, flash … Continue reading “How to Optimize Retail Database Performance with Enteros Database Software, AIOps, AI-Powered Analytics, and Revenue Intelligence”
How AIOps and FinOps Balance Application Performance, Reliability, and Cloud Costs
Introduction Modern digital applications are expected to be fast, reliable, scalable, and continuously available. Whether an organization operates banking platforms, healthcare applications, e-learning systems, SaaS products, e-commerce applications, or enterprise workloads, users increasingly expect consistent performance across every interaction. At the same time, cloud adoption has introduced a new challenge: how can organizations maintain application … Continue reading “How AIOps and FinOps Balance Application Performance, Reliability, and Cloud Costs”
How to Scale SaaS Database Performance with Enteros Database Software, AI-Powered Analytics, and Cloud FinOps
Introduction Software-as-a-Service companies compete on product experience. Customers expect SaaS applications to be fast, available, scalable, and responsive regardless of how many users are active. Behind every SaaS application is a database layer responsible for customer records, transactions, configurations, analytics, workflows, integrations, and application state. Read more”Indian Country” highlights Enteros and its database performance management … Continue reading “How to Scale SaaS Database Performance with Enteros Database Software, AI-Powered Analytics, and Cloud FinOps”