Skip to main content

Power BI

Needs Votes

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

Vote (721) Share
Kevin H's profile image

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 (82)
Kevin H's profile image Profile Picture

Danielle Interrante on 22 Dec 2023 20:09:24

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

Is it too late to write to Santa for this? This is really tedious to work around.

Kevin H's profile image Profile Picture

Clare Alexander on 21 Dec 2023 12:18:05

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

Every single time I bring in a date I physically have to change each one. Even an option to copy formatting from one date to another would save me hours of boring repetition(Also the ability to change formats when editing in Power BI Service)

Kevin H's profile image Profile Picture

Bryan Davison on 20 Dec 2023 10:06:31

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

It's such a basic requirement. I can't believe this still hasn't been addressed!

Kevin H's profile image Profile Picture

Robert Toth on 18 Dec 2023 16:07:52

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

Like others, I have never used the default Date or Date/Time format. I find changing Date/Time each time especially challenging because of the number of choices. I would LOVE a default setting to the format I use 99% of the time.

Kevin H's profile image Profile Picture

Agustin Martin Barbero on 20 Nov 2023 15:15:37

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

Out of hundreds of date fields I don't think I've ever used the long format in any report. It's quite painful to manually change the format for each field to short format.

Kevin H's profile image Profile Picture

Jason Stange on 11 Oct 2023 11:16:50

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

I also would like to see this functionality integrated to Power BI. Setting default formats is standard in other Microsoft software ie(Windows, Office, etc)

Kevin H's profile image Profile Picture

Sofie Dittmann on 25 Aug 2023 14:48:06

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

How is this still not integrated into Power BI? It is SUCH a pain to have to set this EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

Kevin H's profile image Profile Picture

Gary Hoefs on 28 Jul 2023 15:15:31

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

I would give this 1000 votes if I could!!! I NEVER use timestamps and it's a pain to have to change the format to get rid of them every single time. How was the ability to set the default date format not in the settings from day one??

Kevin H's profile image Profile Picture

Max Pelz on 28 Jun 2023 15:21:20

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

Agree with Jennifer. This default makes no sense to me and we should really be able to set this in settings.

Kevin H's profile image Profile Picture

Jennifer T Zelmanski on 31 May 2023 18:31:12

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

How easy would this be for Microsoft to fix ?? Five years and we are all still complaining about the LONG date default formatting which I swear absolutely NOBODY PREFERS ! Microsoft, you're killin me!!