> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://parabola.io/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Format numbers

> The **Format numbers** step reformats numbers across multiple columns in different styles. Use it to control numeric formatting options such as commas, currencies, rounding, and percentages.

You can watch this [Parabola University](https://parabola.io/resources/parabola-university) video for a quick intro to the **Format numbers** step.

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</Frame>

## How to use the Format numbers step

1. **Choose the number columns you want to format**
   * **Format these columns** – Select specific columns to apply formatting to.
   * **Format all columns except** – Select specific columns to exclude from formatting.
2. **Select a formatting option**
   * Choose from the dropdown list.
   * Click the ellipses `...` to customize options such as comma grouping, number of decimal places, and rounding.
   * Check the **Invert number (+/-)** box to switch positive numbers to negative and vice versa.
3. **Add multiple formatting rules**
   * Click **Add Format Rule** to create more than one rule within the same step.
   * Rules apply in top-down order.

## Formatting options

### Numbers

Use **Numbers** formatting to remove symbols and standardize values.\
Example: `$4000` becomes `4000`.

Settings:

* **Comma grouping** – Choose whether to add commas every thousand.
* **Decimals** – Set the number of decimal places to display.
* **Rounding** – Round to the nearest value, round down, or round up.

### Percents

Settings:

* **Comma grouping** – Add commas every thousand if needed.
* **Decimals** – Set the number of decimal places to display.
* **Rounding** – Round to the nearest value, round down, or round up.

### Currency

Settings:

* **Currency** – Choose Dollars (\$), Euros (€), Indian Rupees (₹), Pounds (£), or Yen (¥).
* **Decimals** – Set the number of decimal places to display.
* **Rounding** – Round to the nearest value, round down, or round up.

### Accounting

Settings:

* **Currency** – Choose Dollars (\$), Euros (€), Indian Rupees (₹), Pounds (£), or Yen (¥).
* **Decimals** – Set the number of decimal places to display.
* **Rounding** – Round to the nearest value, round down, or round up.

**Key difference:**

* **Currency** – Displays negative numbers with a minus sign (e.g., `-5.00`).
* **Accounting** – Displays negative numbers in parentheses (e.g., `($5.00)`).

## Accounting format input support

The Format Numbers step can read and transform values already in accounting format (e.g., `($100)` for negative numbers). This means you can convert accounting-formatted data directly into any other number format without needing a separate [Find and replace](/product/transform/find-and-replace) step.

For example, `($7.00)` can be reformatted directly to `-$7.00`, `7`, or any other supported format.

<Note>
  To use this feature, add a fresh Format Numbers step from the superbar. Other steps in your flow may not recognize accounting format natively, so it's best to convert accounting-formatted numbers early in your flow before working with them in other steps.
</Note>

## Related steps

* [Add math column](/product/transform/insert-math-column) — perform calculations before formatting numeric output.
* [Format dates](/product/transform/format-dates) — apply consistent formatting to date and time columns.
* [Find and replace](/product/transform/find-and-replace) — clean stray symbols or characters in numeric fields.
* [Clean data](/product/transform/clean-data) — strip whitespace and standardize values across columns.
* [Add running total](/product/transform/insert-running-total-column) — calculate cumulative sums after formatting.