WD2000: How to Use Conditional Field to Specify Number of Digits

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This article was previously published under Q212028

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SUMMARY

This article describes how to specify a numeric format switch within a nested {IF} field to control the number of leading zeros in a numeric result. The formula allows you to format numbers that contain an unequal number of digits, such as 10, 100, and 1000, as numbers that contain an equal number of digits, such as 0010, 0100, and 1000.

MORE INFORMATION

Use a numeric picture switch (\#) to specify the number of digits for the result. For example, if your number is to contain five digits, use the following numeric picture switches within the conditional formula:

   \# 0000#
   \# 000##
   \# 00###
   \# 0####

Create the following conditional {IF} field:

{if { MERGEFIELD number } > "9" { if { MERGEFIELD number } > "99" { if {MERGEFIELD number } > "999" { if { MERGEFIELD number } > "9999" { MERGEFIELD number } { MERGEFIELD number \# 0#### }}{ MERGEFIELD number \# 00### }}{ MERGEFIELD number \# 000## }}{MERGEFIELD number \# 0000# }}