Allow users to select the number of decimal places in numeric topic properties

Alex G. shared this idea 3 years ago
Voting Open

At the moment users have four choices for the display of numeric values in topic properties - Number, Currency, Percentage and Integer. Of these, only Currency and Percentage allow the user to adjust the number of decimal places.

These are also the only options that also incorporate rounding up. For example, 1.88889 will be displayed as $1.89 if Currency is selected, and 188.89% as a Percentage. However it will display unchanged as a Number and 1 (without any decimal places) as an Integer.

An excessive number of decimal places (which often happens in calculated properties) can look very out of place and also confer a false sense of accuracy, while having none at all - which happens with the Integer option - can be very misleading.

The solution is simple - extend the ability to choose the number of decimal places, and also rounding up or down, to include the Number option.

Replies (2)

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Another suggestion would be to simply extend the current very limited AutoCalc functionality so that it included more of the options available in Excel formulas. For example, the Excel ROUND function would allow map designers to specify the number of decimals.

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I agree, though I see my suggestion as an interim measure. I would love even a basic set of Excel-like functions to be added, but my first priority would be a proper IF THEN ELSE function. You can use formula logic operators and SmartRules to construct de facto IF functions but it is a cumbersome process.

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