Custom number formats that 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.
Available number formats
Below is a table of the number formats in the drop-down and how the formatted number will appear on your chart.
| Token | 0.061 | 1.8 | 16 | 1303848 |
| 1,000[.00] |
0.06 | 1.8 | 16 | 1,303,848 |
| 0 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 1303848 |
| 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.8 | 16.0 | 1303848.0 |
| 0.000 | 0.061 | 1.800 | 16.000 | 1303848.000 |
| 0.[0] | 0.1 | 1.8 | 16 | 1303848 |
| 0.[00] | 0.06 | 1.8 | 16 | 1303848 |
| 0% | 0% | 2% | 16% | 1303848% |
| 0.0% | 0.1% | 1.8% | 16.0% | 1303848.0% |
| 0.[0]% | 0.1% | 1.8% | 16 | 1303848 |
| 0.[00]% | 0.06% | 1.8% | 16 | 1303848 |
| 10,000 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 1,303,848 |
| 1st | 0th | 2nd | 16th | 1303848th |
| 123k | 0.06 | 1.8 | 16 | 1.3m |
| 123.4k | 0.1 | 1.8 | 16.0 | 1.3m |
| 123.45k | 0.06 | 1.80 | 16.00 | 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:
Here we list some possible number formats you can put in this text field:
| Token | -20.02 | 0.061 | 16 |
1303848 |
| +0.[00] | -20.02 | +0.06 | +1.8 | +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 |
As you can see, you can mix & match parameters like [], a, $, (), +. You can also add as many zeros as you like (like 0.0, 0.00, 0.00, 0.000) to display as many decimal places as make sense for your data.
A side note: Currencies and metrics
Your readers will understand your numbers better if they know which metric or currency these numbers are in: km? kg? m/h? °C? US-$? €?
If you want to add such a currency sign or metric, you can always add it in step 2: Check & Describe. Select your number format, then prepend or append your metric:
We hope this article helps you to display your numbers in exactly the format you need them in. Get in touch with us if you still have questions!