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Format and FormatName columns

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Format and FormatName are the columns that store the format values and are used by the controls and UI to know how to display the contents.

Format is the older column that stores the values used by Microsoft Dataverse. To maintain backward compatibility, new formats were not able to be introduced. Because of this, some of the API responses won't align with the new format. For Text and Multiline Text columns, it is recommended to use the FormatName column.

FormatName is the new column that is used to specify the format for Text and Multiline Text column data types. FormatName column provides a more accurate response for the format selected and supports newer format types.

API behavior

  • On Create operation, if the incoming payload contains both Format and FormatName information, the FormatName value is considered first. If the payload contains only one value, the system considers whatever is present in the payload.

  • On Retrieve operation, a data type with a defined format may provide different values for the Format and FormatName API responses based on compatibility. For example, a text column set to RichText format returns the following:

    • Format: 'Text'
    • FormatName: 'RichText'.
    • Retrieve operation corrects any incompatible Format or FormatName values present on a data type by changing the values to default. For example, if a Text column is changed to Date Only in Dataverse, the retrieve operation corrects the format to the following values:
      • Format: 'Text'
      • FormatName: 'Text'.

  • On Update operation, system only considers the FormatName value. The value of Format is NOTconsidered even if the FormatName value is not present.

The following table provides the Format and FormatName values and API responses for each type:

Column type Platform format / Value in solution XML Format SDK Definition FormatName SDK Definition API response value Remarks
Text Text StringFormat.Text StringFormatName.Text Format: Text
FormatName: Text		 Default format value for String column.
Email StringFormat.Email StringFormatName.Email Format: Email
FormatName: Email
Text Area StringFormat.TextArea StringFormatName.TextArea Format: TextArea
FormatName: TextArea
URL StringFormat.Url StringFormatName.Url Format: Url
FormatName: Url
Ticker Symbol StringFormat.TickerSymbol StringFormatName.TickerSymbol Format: TickerSymbol
FormatName: TickerSymbol
Version Number StringFormat.VersionNumber StringFormatName.VersionNumber Format: VersionNumber
FormatName: VersionNumber
Phone StringFormat.Phone StringFormatName.Phone Format: Text
FormatName: Phone
JSON StringFormat.Json StringFormatName.Json Format: Text
FormatName: Json
Rich Text StringFormat.RichText MemoFormatName.RichText Format: Text
FormatName: RichText		 Only allowed for non-SQL data provider.
Memo/Multiline Text Text StringFormat.Text MemoFormatName.Text Format: Text
FormatName: Text		 Default format value for Memo/Multiline column.
Email StringFormat.Email MemoFormatName.Email Format: Email
FormatName: Email
Text Area StringFormat.TextArea MemoFormatName.TextArea Format: TextArea
FormatName: TextArea
InternalExtentdata StringFormat.Te StringFormatName.Text Format: Text
FormatName: Text
Json StringFormat.Json MemoFormatName.Json Format: Text
FormatName: Json		 Only allowed for non-SQL data provider.
Rich Text StringFormat.RichText MemoFormatName.RichText Format: Text
FormatName: RichText
Whole Number None/String.Empty IntegerFormat.None N/A Format: None Default format value for Integer column.
Duration IntegerFormat.Duration N/A Format: Duration
TimeZone IntegerFormat.TimeZone N/A Format: TimeZone
Language IntegerFormat.Language N/A Format: Language
Locale IntegerFormat.Locale N/A Format: Locale
Date and Time DateTime DateTimeFormat.DateAndTime N/A Format: DateAndTime Default format value for DateTime column.

Data type format conversions
Format validations