title: Manipulating data before drawing columns with DataTables jQuery Library
body: <p>I currently have a table that loads data from a REST API endpoint via AJAX:</p>
  
  <pre><code>$(document).ready(function() {
      var table = $('#pendingTable').DataTable({
          ajax: {
              type: "GET",
              url: url + '/rest/endpoint,
              dataSrc: "_deployments"
          },
  
      columns: [
          { data: "service_name" },
          { data: "git_organization" },
          { data: "id" },
          { data: "timestamp" },
          { data: "username" },
          { data: "environment" },
          { data: "site" },
          { data: "status" }
      ],
      fnCreatedRow: function( nRow, aData, iDataIndex ) {
          $(nRow).attr('onclick', "openModal(" + aData["id"] + ")");
      },
      order: [
          [2, 'sc']
      ]
  });
  $('.table-responsive').css('opacity', '0').fadeTo(500, 1, 'swing');
  $('#pendingTable_filter input').attr("placeholder", "by User, Org &amp; More");
  });
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I have been exploring the DataTables.net docs, but am having issues determining the best course of action for manipulating the "timestamp" data (i.e., format it into a proper date), prior to the table being drawn.  </p>
  
  <p>The API offers the ability to modify individual cells which I may be able to iterate through, columns, or both.  How would I go about formatting this time-stamp? (the value is just a string representing milliseconds). Would I need to have some form of a callback, or should I manipulate the data after the table has already been drawn?</p>
  
  <p>Any examples would be greatly appreciated. Apologies that I do not have any examples to offer of what I've tried, a majority of it has been pseudo-code that isn't doing what I thought it would.</p>