---
title: "quarter"
slug: "dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-quarter"
updated: 2026-10-30T18:19:01Z
published: 2026-10-30T18:19:01Z
canonical: "docs.vastdata.com/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-quarter"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.vastdata.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# quarter

*Applies to VAST Cluster 5.5.*

*[Functions](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-index) › [Date and time functions](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time) › Parts of a date or time.* Returns the quarter of the year, from 1 (January to March) to 4 (October to December), of a date or timestamp.

## Syntax

```
quarter(value)
```

| Argument | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `value` | `DATE`, `TIMESTAMP` (also `TIMESTAMP_NS`, `TIMESTAMP_MS`, `TIMESTAMP_S`) or `INTERVAL` | The value to take the quarter of. |

**Returns:** `BIGINT`.

**Same as:** `date_part('quarter', value)` and `extract(quarter FROM value)`; see [date_part](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-date-part).

## Set up the examples

The examples connect with the ADBC driver, as in [VAST Query Engine (ADBC)](/develop/docs/dev-database-integrations-adbc), and work in a schema called `docs_sql_fn_date_time_quarter`. Set `QE_ENDPOINT`, `AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID`, `AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY` and `VASTDB_BUCKET` ([SQL reference](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-index#example-connect-and-use-a-transaction)), and run the blocks in order in one Python session. Below each block is the output you should see.

This block connects, defines the `run()` and `plan()` helpers, and creates a table of five events. Each has a date (`d`), a timestamp (`ts`), a time of day (`t`) and a timestamp with nanoseconds (`tns`). Row 4 has no values, and row 5 is the last moment of 1969:

```
import os
import re

import adbc_driver_manager
import adbc_driver_manager.dbapi as dbapi
import adbc_driver_vastdb

BUCKET = os.environ["VASTDB_BUCKET"]
SCHEMA = f'"{BUCKET}/docs_sql_fn_date_time_quarter"'

conn = dbapi.connect(
    driver=adbc_driver_vastdb.get_driver_path(),
    db_kwargs={
        "vast.db.endpoint": os.environ["QE_ENDPOINT"],
        "vast.db.access_key": os.environ["AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID"],
        "vast.db.secret_key": os.environ["AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY"],
    },
    autocommit=True,
)

def server_message(e):
    """The server's message in a driver error, without the request ID or the echoed statement."""
    text = re.sub(r"\[req=0x[0-9a-f]+\]: ", "", str(e))
    found = (re.search(r'message: "(.*?)", request_id', text, re.S)
             or re.search(r"description: (.*)\)", text, re.S))
    message = found.group(1) if found else text.strip().splitlines()[-1]
    message = re.sub(r"^Plan query: '.*?' failed with: ", "", message, flags=re.S)
    message = re.split(r"\\n|\n", message)[0].replace('\\"', '"')
    return message.replace(BUCKET, "<bucket>")

def run(sql):
    """Run one statement. Print the rows it returns, or the error."""
    try:
        with conn.cursor() as cur:
            cur.execute(sql)
            rows = cur.fetchall() if cur.description else []
    except (adbc_driver_manager.Error, OSError) as e:
        print(f"{type(e).__name__}: {server_message(e)}")
    else:
        print(rows)

def plan(sql):
    """Print the plan without its ~N Rows lines: the table's row count, which can still be 0 just after an insert."""
    with conn.cursor() as cur:
        cur.execute("EXPLAIN " + sql)
        steps = cur.fetchall()[0][1]
    print("\n".join(line for line in steps.splitlines() if "Rows" not in line))

TABLE = f"{SCHEMA}.events"
run(f"CREATE SCHEMA IF NOT EXISTS {SCHEMA}")
run(f"CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS {TABLE} (id BIGINT, d DATE, ts TIMESTAMP, t TIME, tns TIMESTAMP_NS)")
run(f"INSERT INTO {TABLE} VALUES "
    "(1, DATE '2026-02-28', TIMESTAMP '2026-02-28 23:15:00', TIME '23:15:00', "
    "CAST('2026-02-28 23:15:00.123456789' AS TIMESTAMP_NS)), "
    "(2, DATE '2026-03-01', TIMESTAMP '2026-03-01 08:30:45.123456', TIME '08:30:45.123456', "
    "CAST('2026-03-01 08:30:45.123456' AS TIMESTAMP_NS)), "
    "(3, DATE '2024-12-30', TIMESTAMP '2024-12-30 12:00:00', TIME '12:00:00', "
    "CAST('2024-12-30 12:00:00' AS TIMESTAMP_NS)), "
    "(4, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL), "
    "(5, DATE '1969-12-31', TIMESTAMP '1969-12-31 23:59:59.999999', TIME '23:59:59.999999', "
    "CAST('1969-12-31 23:59:59.999999999' AS TIMESTAMP_NS))")
```

```
[]
[]
[(5,)]
```

## What it does

`quarter` returns which quarter of the calendar year a date or timestamp falls in:

| Months | Quarter | Example | Result |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| January to March | 1 | `quarter(DATE &apos;2026-03-31&apos;)` | `1` |
| April to June | 2 | `quarter(DATE &apos;2026-04-01&apos;)` | `2` |
| July to September | 3 |  |  |
| October to December | 4 | `quarter(DATE &apos;2026-12-31&apos;)` | `4` |

Quarters always follow the calendar year. For a fiscal year that starts in another month, shift the date before you take the quarter, or compute it from [month](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-month).

On an `INTERVAL`, `quarter` looks at the months left over after whole years: `quarter(INTERVAL &apos;5 months&apos;)` is `2`, and `quarter(INTERVAL &apos;14 months&apos;)`, which is 1 year and 2 months, is `1`. A negative interval such as `INTERVAL &apos;-1 year -2 months -3 days -04:05:06.789&apos;` gives `1`.

## NULLs and edge cases

| Input | Result |
| --- | --- |
| A NULL value (row 4) | `NULL` |
| `DATE &apos;infinity&apos;`, `TIMESTAMP &apos;-infinity&apos;` | `NULL` |
| `DATE &apos;0001-01-01&apos;` | `1` |
| `DATE &apos;9999-12-31&apos;` | `4` |
| `TIMESTAMP &apos;1969-12-31 23:59:59.999999&apos;` | `4` |
| `INTERVAL &apos;5 months&apos;` | `2` |
| `INTERVAL &apos;14 months&apos;` | `1` |
| `INTERVAL &apos;-1 year -2 months -3 days -04:05:06.789&apos;` | `1` |
| An untyped `NULL`: `quarter(NULL)` | Error: `Could not choose a best candidate function for the function call &quot;quarter(&quot;NULL&quot;)&quot;` |
| A `TIME` | Error: `No function matches the given name and argument types &apos;quarter(TIME)&apos;` |
| A string | Error: `Could not choose a best candidate function`; cast it to `DATE` first |
| A number, boolean, `BLOB` or list | Error: `No function matches the given name and argument types`, for example `&apos;quarter(INTEGER_LITERAL)&apos;` |

The same cases, as the cluster returns them. They use the table and helpers from [Set up the examples](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-quarter#set-up-the-examples):

```
run(f"SELECT id, quarter(ts) FROM {TABLE} WHERE id = 4")
run("SELECT quarter(DATE 'infinity'), quarter(TIMESTAMP '-infinity'), quarter(DATE '0001-01-01'), "
    "quarter(DATE '9999-12-31'), quarter(TIMESTAMP '1969-12-31 23:59:59.999999')")
run("SELECT quarter(DATE '2026-03-31'), quarter(DATE '2026-04-01'), quarter(DATE '2026-12-31')")
run("SELECT quarter(INTERVAL '5 months'), quarter(INTERVAL '14 months'), "
    "quarter(INTERVAL '-1 year -2 months -3 days -04:05:06.789')")
run("SELECT quarter(NULL)")
run("SELECT quarter(TIME '13:45:30')")
run("SELECT quarter('2026-03-31')")
run("SELECT quarter(123)")
```

```
[(4, None)]
[(None, None, 1, 4, 4)]
[(1, 2, 4)]
[(2, 1, 1)]
InternalError: Binder Error: Could not choose a best candidate function for the function call "quarter("NULL")". In order to select one, please add explicit type casts.
InternalError: Binder Error: No function matches the given name and argument types 'quarter(TIME)'. You might need to add explicit type casts.
InternalError: Binder Error: Could not choose a best candidate function for the function call "quarter(STRING_LITERAL)". In order to select one, please add explicit type casts.
InternalError: Binder Error: No function matches the given name and argument types 'quarter(INTEGER_LITERAL)'. You might need to add explicit type casts.
```

## Examples

The quarter of each event's date and timestamp:

```
run(f"SELECT id, quarter(d), quarter(ts) FROM {TABLE} ORDER BY id LIMIT 10")
```

```
[(1, 1, 1), (2, 1, 1), (3, 4, 4), (4, None, None), (5, 4, 4)]
```

Label each event with its year and quarter, such as `2026-Q1`:

```
run(f"SELECT id, CAST(year(d) AS VARCHAR) || '-Q' || CAST(quarter(d) AS VARCHAR) FROM {TABLE} ORDER BY id LIMIT 10")
```

```
[(1, '2026-Q1'), (2, '2026-Q1'), (3, '2024-Q4'), (4, None), (5, '1969-Q4')]
```

Keep only the events in the fourth quarter of any year:

```
run(f"SELECT id FROM {TABLE} WHERE quarter(ts) = 4 ORDER BY id LIMIT 10")
```

```
[(3,), (5,)]
```

## How it runs in VAST

The Query Engine runs on the cluster's CNodes, and a query on a table starts with a scan in VAST DataBase (`VAST_SCAN`). VAST DataBase can evaluate a comparison of a column with a constant, but not a function of a column, so `quarter()` is always computed by the Query Engine:

- **In the `SELECT` list,** the scan reads the column and the Query Engine computes `quarter()` for each row it returns.
- **In `WHERE`,** the scan sends the column for every row, and a `FILTER` step in the Query Engine computes `quarter()` and keeps the rows that match. No rows are skipped in storage.

The plan of the `WHERE` example shows the `FILTER` step above the scan:

```
plan(f"SELECT id FROM {TABLE} WHERE quarter(ts) = 4")
```

```
┌───────────────────────────┐
│         PROJECTION        │
│    ────────────────────   │
│             #1            │
│                           │
└─────────────┬─────────────┘
┌─────────────┴─────────────┐
│           FILTER          │
│    ────────────────────   │
│    ("quarter"(ts) = 4)    │
│                           │
└─────────────┬─────────────┘
┌─────────────┴─────────────┐
│         VAST_SCAN         │
│    ────────────────────   │
│    Function: VAST_SCAN    │
│                           │
│        Projections:       │
│             ts            │
│             id            │
│                           │
└───────────────────────────┘
```

## Make it faster

- **For one quarter of one year, filter on a range of the raw column.** `ts &gt;= TIMESTAMP &apos;2026-01-01 00:00:00&apos; AND ts &lt; TIMESTAMP &apos;2026-04-01 00:00:00&apos;` is the first quarter of 2026, and it's pushed down to VAST DataBase, so rows outside it never leave storage. The plan for the range has no `FILTER` step:

```
plan(f"SELECT id FROM {TABLE} WHERE ts >= TIMESTAMP '2026-01-01 00:00:00' AND ts < TIMESTAMP '2026-04-01 00:00:00'")
```

```
┌───────────────────────────┐
│         VAST_SCAN         │
│    ────────────────────   │
│    Function: VAST_SCAN    │
│      Projections: id      │
│                           │
└───────────────────────────┘
```

- **Store the quarter if you filter on it across years.** `quarter(ts) = 4` for every year has no single range. Compute the quarter when you write the rows and keep it in its own column: `event_quarter = 4` is pushed down, `quarter(ts) = 4` isn't.

## Limitations and errors

- **No time-zone support.** On a `TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE` value, such as `now()`, `quarter` fails with an `Extension Autoloading Error`. Cast the value to `TIMESTAMP` first; see [time zones](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-time-zones).
- **Not for `TIME`.** `quarter(TIME ...)` fails with `No function matches the given name and argument types &apos;quarter(TIME)&apos;`.
- **`TIMESTAMP_NS` just before 1970.** Row 5's `tns`, `1969-12-31 23:59:59.999999999`, gives `1`, not `4`. Store such values as `TIMESTAMP` if you need their quarter.
- **No quarter in `strftime` or as `&apos;q&apos;`.** `strftime` has no quarter code (`%q` fails with `Failed to parse format specifier %q`), and `date_part(&apos;q&apos;, ...)` fails with `extract specifier &quot;q&quot; not recognized`. Use `quarter()` or `date_part(&apos;quarter&apos;, ...)`.

```
run(f"SELECT id, quarter(tns), quarter(ts) FROM {TABLE} ORDER BY id LIMIT 10")
run("SELECT strftime(DATE '2026-03-31', '%q')")
run("SELECT date_part('q', DATE '2026-03-31')")
```

```
[(1, 1, 1), (2, 1, 1), (3, 4, 4), (4, None, None), (5, 1, 4)]
InternalError: Invalid Input Error: Failed to parse format specifier %q: Unrecognized format for strftime/strptime: %q
InternalError: Conversion Error: extract specifier "q" not recognized
```

## Similar functions

| Function | Returns | Result for `DATE &apos;2026-12-31&apos;` (`quarter` gives `4`) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [month](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-month) | The month, 1 to 12 | `12` |
| [date_trunc](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-date-trunc) with `&apos;quarter&apos;` | The first day of the quarter, as a `DATE` | `2026-10-01` |
| [date_part](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-date-part) with `&apos;quarter&apos;` | The same as `quarter` | `4` |
| [to_quarters](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-to-quarters) | An `INTERVAL` of that many quarters, for adding to dates |  |

```
run("SELECT quarter(DATE '2026-12-31'), month(DATE '2026-12-31'), date_trunc('quarter', DATE '2026-12-31'), "
    "date_part('quarter', DATE '2026-12-31')")
```

```
[(4, 12, datetime.date(2026, 10, 1), 4)]
```

Clean up:

```
run(f"DROP TABLE IF EXISTS {TABLE}")
run(f"DROP SCHEMA IF EXISTS {SCHEMA}")
conn.close()
```

```
[]
[]
```

## See also

- [date_part](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-date-part): any part of a value, by name.
- [Date and time functions](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time): all the date and time functions.
- [Where filters run](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-select#where-filters-run) and [pushdowns](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-pushdowns).
- [EXPLAIN](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-explain): how to read a plan.