Laravel 5.6 save datetime to database
Stefan Bogdanescu
Founder & Senior Architect · 2026-06-29
# Mastering Date Handling in Laravel: Saving Input Datetimes Correctly
As a senior developer working with the Laravel ecosystem, dealing with dates and times is a frequent source of confusion. When integrating front-end components like date pickers (such as Bootstrap Datepicker) that output specific string formats, converting these strings into proper Carbon objects for database storage can often lead to unexpected errors, like the "Data missing" issue you encountered.
This post will dive deep into why date parsing fails in your scenario and provide a robust, best-practice solution for saving datetime inputs from a form into a MySQL `DATETIME` field using Laravel.
## The Pitfall of Input Formatting Mismatches
The core issue often lies in the discrepancy between how the front-end (JavaScript/HTML) formats the date string and how the back-end (PHP/Carbon) expects that format. You mentioned your input format is likely `MM/DD/YYYY HH:MM AM/PM` (e.g., `10/30/2018 12:00 PM`).
When you use methods like `Carbon::createFromFormat('d-m-Y H:i:s', $date)`, if the input string doesn't *exactly* match that format, Carbon will fail to parse it, resulting in an invalid or null date object. This failure cascades into validation errors or database insertion issues, which is likely what caused your "Data missing" error.
## Best Practice: Leveraging Carbon for Robust Parsing
Instead of manually manipulating string replacements (`str_replace`) and trying to force a specific input format, we should rely on Carbon's powerful parsing capabilities. If the date picker outputs a standard format (like ISO 8601, or even `M/d/Y`), we can let Carbon handle the heavy lifting.
### Refactoring the Controller Logic
In your `storeVouchers` method, focus on getting the raw input and letting Carbon attempt to interpret it. Since date pickers often output a format that is somewhat recognizable, we can use flexible parsing methods instead of strict `createFromFormat`.
Here is how you can refactor the problematic section in your `VoucherController`:
```php
public function storeVouchers(Request $request)
{
$this->validate($request, [
'name' => 'required',
// ... other validations
'startFrom' => 'required|date', // Use 'date' validation if possible
'expiredUntil' => 'required|date'
]);
// 1. Get the raw input strings directly
$startDateString = $request->input('startFrom');
$endDateString = $request->input('expiredUntil');
// 2. Use Carbon::parse() for flexible, robust parsing.
// Carbon is excellent at guessing common formats.
try {
$startFromDate = Carbon::parse($startDateString);
$expiredOnDate = Carbon::parse($endDateString);
} catch (\Exception $e) {
// Handle the error if parsing still fails (e.g., log it or return an error response)
return response()->json(['error' => 'Invalid date format provided.'], 400);
}
$voucher = new Voucher();
$voucher->name = $request->input('name');
$voucher->description = $request->input('description');
// 3. Assign the validated Carbon objects directly to the model attributes
$voucher->start_from = $startFromDate;
$voucher->expired_on = $expiredOnDate;
$voucher->value = $request->input('amount');
$voucher->merchant_id = $request->input('merchant');
$voucher->categories_id = $request->input('category');
$voucher->save();
// ... rest of your file handling logic
}
```
## Enhancing Model Flexibility with Accessors
While the controller fix addresses the immediate saving issue, making your Eloquent model smarter about how it handles these dates is crucial for long-term maintainability. You have correctly started implementing accessors (`setStartFromAttribute`, `setExpiredOnAttribute`). Ensure these setters are consistent and handle potential nulls gracefully.
In your `Voucher.php` model:
```php
// Voucher.php
use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
use Carbon\Carbon; // Make sure Carbon is imported if you use it directly here
class Voucher extends Model
{
protected $fillable = ['name','start_from','expired_on','price_normal','price_discount','status'];
protected $table = 'vouchers';
// Custom Accessors to ensure data is stored in the correct DATETIME format
public function setStartFromAttribute($value)
{
// Use Carbon::parse() here too, relying on the controller to provide a parseable string.
$this->attributes['start_from'] = Carbon::parse($value);
}
public function setExpiredOnAttribute($value)
{
$this->attributes['expired_on'] = Carbon::parse($value);
}
// ... relationships remain the same
}
```
By utilizing `Carbon::parse()`, you move away from brittle manual string manipulation and embrace Laravel's powerful date handling tools. This approach is significantly more resilient, ensuring your data integrity remains sound, aligning perfectly with the principles of clean development promoted by platforms like [Laravel](https://laravelcompany.com).
## Conclusion
Saving datetime objects requires careful attention to format consistency between the front-end input and the back-end processing. Avoid strict `createFromFormat` when dealing with user inputs from date pickers; instead, prioritize flexible parsing using `Carbon::parse()`. By refactoring your controller to handle date conversion robustly and ensuring your Eloquent model uses these Carbon objects correctly, you will eliminate date-related errors and build a more stable application.