Chapter 511 Format
Format defines the presentation of data, like numbers with decimals, to be presentable.
Prices, for example, are displayed using two decimal places such as 1.00 for one dollar. This can be changed in the Format Numbers tool in the Company card in Big Business.
This chapter provides a quick overview of formatting options or settings for reference.
Format Image
Format Image sets Thumb Image to a format that is optimized for printing and display.
Image format supports transparency, lossless compression, and high-quality sizing.
If needed you add controls or customizations for image format to support varied uses. For example, you may want images to be uploaded to your web stores automatically.
Format Quantity
Format Quantity is updated for new Database. Quote, Order, Invoice, Requisition, Purchase Order, Bill, Item Adjustment, and Warehouse Transfer have been updated.
Pictured is a custom setting to display three decimal places even when zero (1.000).
To edit settings, go System toolbar, Company card, to Number Formats. Any format you need, with commas or spaces, currency symbols, and so on, is supported.
Format Qty
Format Qty lets you set the display of Qty on-screen and on printouts for accuracy.
For example, you might want whole numbers without decimal places you do not need. OTOH, you might sell items priced per 1000 and need three decimals to always show.
In the Company card in the Format tool you can choose Display Format for Quantity. There a number sign is an optional character (##,###,##0.##) and a zero always shows.
Format System Dates
Big Business uses your System setting for Short Date format. Display the Day first (DD/MM/YY) or a four-digit year (MM/DD/YYYY) is done by choosing the setting you want in the Regional or Internation Control Panel.
This Solution describes the process. (5992)
Big Business uses your System setting for displaying Dates and Numbers and it is generally straighforward to make changes in the Regional Control Panel in Windows, or the International Control Panel in Mac OS X. You can choose non-US formats such as DD/MM/YY for Date from the choice of Short Date formats.
For example, in Windows, open the Regional Options Control Panel, go to Date, and choose a format from the pulldown menu in Short Date (e.g. MM/dd/yyyy).
In OS X, use the International Control Panel, go to Formats, and for Dates click Customize and choose an format. You must start from a Format such as United States, that does not display the Unicode warning (a yellow alert symbol), then Customize it. In OS X 10.4 in the window to Customize (pictured), leave Show on Short, and click and click on the Year (highlighted) to display a pulldown menu with a four-digit year.
Format Date
Windows offers a date format like 05-Apr-17, which BigBusiness did not understand.
This caused a runtime error in the method "SetDateIndexes" at Line # 13. This is fixed.
BigBusiness now supports this format on Windows for entry, display, and printing.
Format Date
Date Format is determined by the system and Windows allows dd-MMM-yy where the Month is an abbreviation of the month name such as 31-Oct-24 for this Halloween.
BigBusiness 15 is adding support for this format and includes entering dates this way. This format is useful for printing Quotes being to sent to countries putting Day first.