title: How to select max(date) in Big query without using a window function?
body: <p>I am trying to select the latest date in a string field called stamp: '20160523'. I can transform it by DATE(stamp), but when I try to query MAX(DATE(stamp)) it doesn't select the latest date, but just outputs the transformed timestamp '2016-05-23'.</p>
  
  <p>{SELECT MAX(DATE(stamp)) FROM  WHERE a=b... }</p>
  
  <p>Any ideas what am I doing wrong and how to do it without using a window function? </p>
  
  <p>Many many thanks ina dvance!
  G</p>