What is a data format?
A data format is the arrangement of data fields for a specific shape. After you arrange data fields on a shape, you can save the data format as default or custom.
Save a default data format
A default data format is the arrangement of data for a specific shape type. In a process map, you can save a default data format for the following shapes:
- Decision shapes
- Process shapes
- Default shapes (all other shapes)
After you save a default data format for a specific shape type, the next time you add a new shape of the same type, it has the default data format.
How to save a default data format for a process shape
Suppose you want process shapes to always display the names of X variables above the shape and the names of Y variables below the shapes. The following steps show you how.
- Select a process shape.
- Format the shape to display X Variable Name above the shape and Y Variable Name below the shape. For information about how to format a shape to display data, go to Display data on a process map.
- Right-click the process shape you just formatted, and choose .
- Insert a new process shape. When you add values for X Variable Name and Y Variable Name, they appear beside the shape.
Apply a default data format
You can apply default data formats to existing shapes.
- Select the shape to apply the data format to.
- Choose , and then under Apply a Data Format, choose the default data format to apply.
Save a custom data format
After you create a data format, you can save it as a custom data format that you can apply to other shapes.
- Right-click the shape that has the format you want to save, and choose .
- In the New Data Format dialog box, enter a name for the format. The custom data format appears in the Data Display menu.
A custom data format
Apply a custom data format
When you apply a custom data format to a shape, it copies the data format from the custom data format to the selected shape.
- Select the shape to apply the data format to.
- Choose , and then under Apply a Custom Data Format, choose the custom data format to apply.