Number formats you can display in Datawrapper
Once you've successfully uploaded a data column as numbers, you can choose how the number appears on your chart. On the Refine tab in step 3: Visualize step, you have the ability to choose from a drop-down menu of number formats:
Let's say we have the numbers 0.061, 1.8, 16 and 1303848 in our number column.
Index
- Available number formats, and how they work
- Custom number formats
- How to add currency or other units
Available number formats
Below is a table of the number format options in the drop-down and how four example numbers will appear on your chart with each option.
| Option | 0.061 | 1.8 | 1600 | 1303848 |
| 1,000[.00] |
0.06 | 1.8 | 1,600 | 1,303,848 |
| 0 | 0 | 2 | 1600 | 1303848 |
| 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.8 | 1600.0 | 1303848.0 |
| 0.000 | 0.061 | 1.800 | 1600.000 | 1303848.000 |
| 0.[0] | 0.1 | 1.8 | 1600 | 1303848 |
| 0.[00] | 0.06 | 1.8 | 1600 | 1303848 |
| 0% | 0% | 2% | 1600% | 1303848% |
| 0.0% | 0.1% | 1.8% | 1600.00% | 1303848.0% |
| 0.[0]% | 0.1% | 1.8% | 1600% | 1303848 |
| 0.[00]% | 0.06% | 1.8% | 1600% | 1303848 |
| 10,000 | 0 | 2 | 1,600% | 1,303,848 |
| 1st | 0th | 2nd | 1600th | 1303848th |
| 123k | 0.06 | 1.8 | 2k | 1m |
| 123.4k | 0.1 | 1.8 | 1.6k | 1.3m |
| 123.45k | 0.06 | 1.80 | 1.60k | 1.30m |
We can see that some number formats work very well with small numbers (e.g. "0.[00]), while others work great for big numbers (like "123.4k"). Depending on the magnitude of your numbers, choose a number format that makes the most sense.
If this list of number formats is not enough for your needs, you can choose a custom format:
Custom number formats
To do so, select the last item on the number format drop-down: "(custom)". A text field will open to its right, in which you can type in format yourself:
All formats are defined by custom tokens that specify how the number is formatted, e.g how many decimal places to show, whether or not to group or abbreviate thousands, how to display positive and negative values, etc. These can be mixed and matched to create your desired output format.
Overview of custom format building blocks:
| Effect | Examples | |
| 0.0 | Enforces a fixed number of decimal places, even if they're zero. The character for the decimal point depends on the output locale (language) you choose for your visualization |
7 → 7.0 7.12 → 7.1 |
| 0.[0] | Determines the maximum number of decimal places to show, provided they're non-zero | 7 → 7 7.12 → 7.1 |
| 0,0 | Groups thousands The grouping character depends on the output locale (language) you choose for your visualization |
7000 → 7,000 70000 → 70,000 |
| 0;0 | Groups thousands for numbers starting from 10,000 |
7000 → 7000 70000 → 70,000 |
| 0a | Abbreviates thousands | 7000 → 7k 70000 → 70k |
| 0% | Shows a percentage sign | 7 → 7% |
| (0) | Shows negative values in parentheses | 7 → 7 −7 → (7) |
| +0 | Shows plus sign before positive values | 7 → +7 −7 → −7 |
| |0| | Removes minus sign from negative values | 7 → 7 −7 → 7 |
| $0 | Shows a currency symbol The currency symbol displayed in the output depends on the output locale (language) you choose for your visualization |
7 → $7 |
Here are some possible custom number formats, based on combinations of the building blocks above, that you can put in this text field:
| Token | -20.02 | 0.061 | 16 |
1303848 |
| +$0.[00]a | -$20.02 | +$0.06 | +$16 | +$1.3m |
| $0.[00]a | -$20.02 | $0.06 | $16 | $1.3m |
| $0.[00] | -$20.02 | $0.06 | $16 | $1303848 |
| 0000 | -0020 | 0000 | 0016 | 1303848 |
| (0,0.00) | (20.02) | 0.06 | 16.00 | 1,303,848.00 |
| .000 | -.020 | .061 | .000 | .000 |
| 0 | -20 | 0 | 16 | 1 m |
| 0.[000] a | -20.02 | 0.061 | 16 | 1.303 m |
| 0,0e+0 | -2e+1 | 6e-2 | 2e+1 | 1e+6 |
| 0.[00]e+0 | -2e+1 | 6.1e-2 | 1.6e+1 | 1.3e+6 |
| |0.0| | 20.0 | 0.1 | 16.0 | 1303848.0 |
As you can see, you can mix & match parameters like [], a, $, (), ||, +. You can also add as many zeros as you like (like 0.0, 0.00, 0.00, 0.000) to display as many decimal places as makes sense for your data.
Currencies and other units
Your readers will understand your numbers better if they know which metric or currency these numbers are in: km? kg? m/h? °C? US-$? €?
If you want to include a currency in your format, you can use a custom number format like any of the above, and place a $ sign where you want the currency to be displayed.
The currency symbol that gets used will depend on the output locale (language) that is selected for your chart.
(For example, if your output locale is English (en-US), it will become a $ sign, whereas if your output locale is English (en-UK) it will become a £ sign)
| Token | -20.02 | 0.061 | 16 | 1303848 |
| $0.00 | -$20.02 | $0.06 | $16.00 | $1303848.00 |
| $0,0.[00]a | -$20.02 |
$0.06 |
$16 | $13.03K |
| 0,0$ | -20$ | 0$ | 16$ | 1,303,484$ |
If you prefer to use a custom currency sign, or any other kind of metric, you can always add it in step 2: Check & Describe. To do so, click on the header of the column with values that you want to add a custom metric for, then prepend or append your chosen metric:
We hope this article helps you to display your numbers in exactly the format you need them in. Get in touch with us at support@datawrapper.de if you still have questions!