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Set the data model's default Format, for each Data Type

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Kevin H on 08 Sep 2017 04:29:54

For example: when the Power BI data model first creates a column with Data Type = 'Date', by default that column is formatted like 'Wednesday, March 14, 2001 (dddd, MMMM d, yyyy)'.

Then, I always go to the Modeling tab, and use the Format drop-down to change it to '2001-03-14 (yyyy-MM-dd)'.

Instead, I would like to be able to go into the "Options" menu in Power BI Desktop, and have a section where, for each Data Type (or at least Date, Date/Time, Decimal Number and Whole Number), I can set the default Format.

So that I don't have to manually change it every single time!

It would also be nice to add this as a setting in the Power BI Service. Set default Formats (maybe for the entire tenant, or maybe by user?) when creating a data model using the Power BI Service.

Comments (24)
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bf61bda3 69d5-ea11-a813-000d3a579c39 on 03 Aug 2020 09:15:38

RE: Set the data model's default Format, for each Data Type

+1

Amazed MS has not given this any attention in 3 years, despite the volume of customers asking for it.
Who uses long date format anyway?

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133030b2 eea0-42a2-9258-74aa73f28b55 on 06 Jul 2020 00:16:58

RE: Set the data model's default Format, for each Data Type

Please fix this. The default date format is the worst possible format and this request is 3 years old now (I'm sure people have mentioned it before too)

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f7e4f89e b3b3-47ba-b643-1c3fbf2e58b9 on 06 Jul 2020 00:12:59

RE: Set the data model's default Format, for each Data Type

To have the longest possible date format as the "default" is mind-boggling. Who in the world would consider this format to be the most desired or commonly-used format !? Come on, this should be easy! And should have been fixed years ago, frankly.

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7eb314b9 1063-4980-a2dd-abbb909c6ee0 on 06 Jul 2020 00:10:45

RE: Set the data model's default Format, for each Data Type

Who thought that including the time and day of week was the most commonly used format? At least change the default to something more common but ideally, we should choose ourselves.

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0ca176e9 328e-4ffb-9929-4fbd31ae424f on 06 Jul 2020 00:09:33

RE: Set the data model's default Format, for each Data Type

Crazy that this has not been done yet. Very disappointing.

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38ce3112 a240-4eda-b2b4-f2d87fe1f3da on 06 Jul 2020 00:08:27

RE: Set the data model's default Format, for each Data Type

Yes, very important, or at the _very_least_ make the default format be the shortest possible.

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911bd4a6 dfb5-4cc1-83f1-d227fb26a401 on 06 Jul 2020 00:07:37

RE: Set the data model's default Format, for each Data Type

This function is urgently needed. It takes a lot of time right now.

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d79e5b7f 9563-4255-a529-b6855ae44af7 on 06 Jul 2020 00:07:34

RE: Set the data model's default Format, for each Data Type

It is ridiculous that this can't be done. Super common, super labor intensive.

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a3309361 99be-ea11-a812-000d3a8ddfb2 on 06 Jul 2020 00:05:21

RE: Set the data model's default Format, for each Data Type

This is really needed! Common date format as a default is important. I am quite fed up with changing the format every time. Nobody is using this existing default format anywhere...

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fd9049b9 2abb-4d2f-bc7a-da872f31ea55 on 06 Jul 2020 00:03:45

RE: Set the data model's default Format, for each Data Type

Totally agree such a waste of effort to have to manually change multiple columns - everyone has a favourite data format and should have a default option for each data type. Thanks