Question: I have a date as a varchar in the form

```
DD/MM/YYYY HH:MM:SS AM

```

e.g.

```
16/3/2012 4:39:26 PM

```

I can't see a valid format option for `CONVERT()` in the [MSDN page](http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms187928.aspx "MSDN page")

Am I missing something or will I have to reformat the varchar field first?

Edit:

Corrected the format, sorry about that

Answer: 
1. Always use proper `DATETIME` datatype to store dates
2. `YYYYMMDD` and `YYYYMMDD HH:MM:SS` are unambiguous date formats

For more information, refer this 

<http://beyondrelational.com/modules/2/blogs/70/posts/10898/understanding-datetime-column-part-ii.aspx>
This will work.

```
DECLARE @dt varchar(100)='2012/3/16 4:39:26 PM'
select convert(datetime,@dt,101)

```