# How to convert string field to number using painless script to visualize in kibana

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-convert-string-field-to-number-using-painless-script-to-visualize-in-kibana/182886>\
**Category:** Kibana\
**Created:** [May 27, 2019, 10:22am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-convert-string-field-to-number-using-painless-script-to-visualize-in-kibana/182886 "2019-05-27T10:22:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Vafa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b3f665/32.png) [@Vafa](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Vafa)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2019, 10:22am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-convert-string-field-to-number-using-painless-script-to-visualize-in-kibana/182886/1 "2019-05-27T10:22:13Z")

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Hello  
I am trying to convert a string field to number.  
This string field contains mainly floated point values like "127.5", "218.3" etc, etc.

I appreciate any advice in advance .

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**Author:** ![bhavyarm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/bhavyarm/32/22392_2.png) [@bhavyarm](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/bhavyarm)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2019, 8:21pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-convert-string-field-to-number-using-painless-script-to-visualize-in-kibana/182886/2 "2019-05-27T20:21:35Z")

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Hi,

Did you try to look at field formatters in Kibana to see if that helps?  
[https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/kibana/current/managing-fields.html](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/kibana/current/managing-fields.html)

Thanks,  
Bhavya

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Vafa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b3f665/32.png) [@Vafa](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Vafa)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2019, 11:17am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-convert-string-field-to-number-using-painless-script-to-visualize-in-kibana/182886/3 "2019-05-28T11:17:23Z")

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Hi,  
Yes this is the only way it worked. But i wanted to find a way to do this without touch the "Index Pattern" .

I thought i could do this by a scripted\_field.

Thanks  
Vafa

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bhavyarm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/bhavyarm/32/22392_2.png) [@bhavyarm](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/bhavyarm)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2019, 12:32pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-convert-string-field-to-number-using-painless-script-to-visualize-in-kibana/182886/4 "2019-05-28T12:32:31Z")

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You can. But scripted fields are expensive operation.

Thanks,  
Bhavya

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gidi\_Kalef](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/gidi_kalef/32/43651_2.png) [@Gidi\_Kalef](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Gidi_Kalef)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2019, 4:02pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-convert-string-field-to-number-using-painless-script-to-visualize-in-kibana/182886/5 "2019-05-28T16:02:46Z")

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Hi Vafa,  
The best advice I can give is to create template which include mapping for each field,  
And rebuild the indices.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Vafa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b3f665/32.png) [@Vafa](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Vafa)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 7:49am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-convert-string-field-to-number-using-painless-script-to-visualize-in-kibana/182886/6 "2019-05-29T07:49:24Z")

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Thanks, I will try this .

Kind Regards  
Vafa

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gidi\_Kalef](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/gidi_kalef/32/43651_2.png) [@Gidi\_Kalef](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Gidi_Kalef)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 8:31am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-convert-string-field-to-number-using-painless-script-to-visualize-in-kibana/182886/7 "2019-05-29T08:31:18Z")

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{  
"metrics" : {  
"order" : 0,  
"index\_patterns" : [  
"_metrics_"  
],  
"settings" : {  
"index" : {  
"number\_of\_shards" : "5",  
"number\_of\_replicas" : "0"  
}  
},  
"mappings" : {  
"doc" : {  
"properties" : {  
" count" : {  
"type" : "long",  
"fields" : {  
"keyword" : {  
"type" : "keyword",  
"ignore\_above" : 256  
}  
}  
},  
"duration\_unit" : {  
"type" : "text",  
"fields" : {  
"keyword" : {  
"type" : "keyword",  
"ignore\_above" : 256  
}  
}  
}

here there is small example.  
pay attention to include the index pattern you want to include changes

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 8:31am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-convert-string-field-to-number-using-painless-script-to-visualize-in-kibana/182886/8 "2019-06-26T08:31:23Z")

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