What should an error state for a number value be?

Question

Let's say that there are different numbers presented to the user - money values ($1.50), percentage values (+25.53%), development values (+$3.50), etc. In case there is an error in retrieving one of these, or all values - how should this be communicated to the user? Not showing any numbers and displaying an error? Showing greyed out zeros for values ($0.00)?

Let's say one value is loaded and other two are not - is showing one of them and hiding the ones that hasn't loaded is okay and wouldn't be confusing? Or placing something in place of error numbers would be preferred?

Thanks!

Answer 1

You can't show a numerical value because that would imply a value, which is a wrong value by definition.

I'd better say you would display a message saying something like "error getting number" with a link to why there may be the error.

Answer 2

You can consider having a progressive state while the system fetches 3 values.

1. When no values retrieved or there is any error, communicate through the error message. Showing 00 can be conflicted with a use-case when there is no error, but the retrieved value itself is 0. [This is an assumption I am making here]. Hence refraining from this would be helpful to understand the visual cue in each distinct case. You can consider having "-" or "N/A" or any other visual cue i.e related to failed.

2. Include all 3 options instead of hiding. Communicate why the other 2 values are empty.