# CSV fields

When CSV data is read, the table defines the fields to read as input from the CSV file.

![CSV fields](https://3411831820-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FAYwCj9fPr1B2pjC11IOQ%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-f02a3bf75c7990046deb4344a853a8dfe276de0f%2FPDI_CatalogInput_Input_Fields_CSV.png?alt=media)

Enter the information for the Catalog Input step fields as shown in the following table.

| Column                     | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| -------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Name**                   | The name of the field.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| **Type**                   | The data type of the field.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| **Format**                 | Enter the number format. See [Number formats](https://docs.pentaho.com/pdia-data-integration/9.3-data-integration/pdi-transformation-steps-reference-overview/hadoop-file-input-cp-main-page/select-an-engine-hadoop-file-input/using-the-hadoop-file-input-step-on-the-pentaho-engine-cp/options-hadoop-file-input-reuse/fields-tab-hadoop-file-input-reuse/number-formats-hadoop-file-input-reuse) for a description of format symbols. |
| **Position**               | The position is needed when processing the 'Fixed' **Filetype**. It is zero based, so the first character starts with position ‘`0`’.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| **Length**                 | <p>The value of this field depends on the format:</p><ul><li><strong>Number</strong>: Total number of significant figures in a number.</li><li><strong>String</strong>: Total length of the string.</li><li><strong>Date</strong>: Length of printed output of the string. For example, ‘<code>4</code>’ only returns the year.</li></ul>                                                                                                 |
| **Precision**              | <p>The value of this field depends on the format:</p><ul><li><strong>Number</strong>: Number of floating point digits.</li><li><strong>String</strong>, <strong>Date</strong>, <strong>Boolean</strong>: Unused.</li></ul>                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| **Currency**               | Used to interpret the symbol used to represent currencies (for example, `$` or `€`).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| **Decimal**                | Used to represent a decimal point, either a dot '`.`' or a comma '`,`' (for example, `5,000.00` or `5.000,00`).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| **Null if**                | Used to set as null (empty) if the string is equal to the specified value.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| **Default**                | Used to specify a default value to use in case the field in the CSV file was not specified (empty).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| **CatalogType**            | The data type as defined in Data Catalog. For example, `UTF8`.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| **Get Fields** (button)    | Click to retrieve a list of fields derived from the source file in Data Catalog.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| **Minimal width** (button) | Click to minimize the field length by removing unnecessary characters. If selected, string fields will no longer be padded to their specified length.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |