# Limit character count in YEAR field?
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/limit-character-count-in-year-field/12608
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [October 19, 2011, 2:58pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/limit-character-count-in-year-field/12608 "2011-10-19T14:58:37Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@ExitRitual](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ExitRitual)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2011, 2:58pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/limit-character-count-in-year-field/12608/1 "2011-10-19T14:58:37Z")
Hi all,
I'm wondering if i can/how to limit the number of characters in the [year] field to 4.
I have quite a few albums with longer date entries and wish to trim them all down in one go.
Any help appreciated.
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2011, 3:16pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/limit-character-count-in-year-field/12608/2 "2011-10-19T15:16:28Z")
if the 4 digits for the year are the digits at the front, then create an action of the type
format tag-field
for the tag YEAR
and enter as format string
$left(%year%,4)
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### Author:  [@ExitRitual](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ExitRitual)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2011, 4:32pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/limit-character-count-in-year-field/12608/3 "2011-10-19T16:32:13Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#):
>
> if the 4 digits for the year are the digits at the front, then create an action of the type
> format tag-field
> for the tag YEAR
> and enter as format string
> $left(%year%,4)
EXCELLENT! Thanks very much!
Worked exactly as desired.
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### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2026, 12:23pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/limit-character-count-in-year-field/12608/4 "2026-02-09T12:23:23Z")