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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 (85)
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Ian Macmillan on 19 Oct 2020 04:42:36

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

A very basic request but no doubt costing countless valuable time globally! I imagine only a tiny fraction of people want to show the full date format that is the current default.

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Petrus Scheepers 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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Power BI User 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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Jennifer T Zelmanski 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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Power BI User 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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Richard Power BI User 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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EDHG 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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yang 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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AJ Hudak 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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Power BI Ideas Admin 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...