Applying formatting

Format masks define how data returned for a field is converted to, or from, a string. For example, a field might return the value "7000", but you want to display it as "$7,000.00". To do this, you apply a format mask to the field. The original data is not truncated when using a format mask.

As shown in the table below, when Format is used with Decimal, the period (.) in the format mask is replaced with the indicated character. Alternatively, when Format is used with Group, the comma (,) in the format mask is replaced with the indicated character. See Common Formats for information on valid number formats.

Input / Output value	Format	Decimal	Group
10.0	#.#	.	,
1,546.99	#,###.##	.	,
1g546d99	#,###.##	d	g
€1.546,99	€#,###.00	,	.
$1,546.99	$#,###.00	.	,

The following table shows that when **Format**, **Decimal**, **Group**, **Length**, and **Precision** are used together. **Format** always overrides **Length** and **Precision**.

Input	Format	Decimal	Group	Length	Precision	String output	Number output
10.0	#.#	.	,	5	2	10.0	10.0
10.0		.	,	5	2	010.00	10.0
10.01		.	,	2	1	10.0	10.01
1,546.99	#,###.##	.	,	10	3	1,546.99	1546.99
1,546.99	0#,###.000	.	,			01,546.990	1546.99