1

I have couple of questions:

  1. I am representing decimal values in dollars in my table as follows

    $2.30
    
    $0.15
    

    I need to know how should I represent 0 (zero) dollars. Which of the following is correct?

    $0.00
    
    0.00$
    
    0$
    
    $0
    
  2. In some tables we use

    742 (9.96%)
    
    694 (9.48%)
    

    How to represent zero of zero percentage? Is this correct 0 (0.00%)? If not how can I represent zero of zero percentage?

2
  • 3
    By using the localization settings of the client. Dec 19, 2013 at 11:06
  • 1
    Local setting is for sure the best option. However you may (depending on your data) simplify the problem of units by moving the $ to the title of the column and not repeat it every line.
    – ColdCat
    Dec 19, 2013 at 14:33

2 Answers 2

4

In most cases you have three options:

  • represent 0 values in the same way you represent another values
  • not represent 0 values if possible
  • represent 0 values as symbol(s) when it means absence of value

Below are examples of all options.

Option 1:

#    Product    Qty    Price    Discount (%)    Gross    Net
----------------------------------------------------------------
1    Hammer     1      $2.30    $0.30 (13.04%)  $2.30    $2.00
2    Crowbar    0      $9.95    $0.00 (0.00%)   $0.00    $0.00
3    Nail       10     $0.15    $0.00 (0.00%)   $1.50    $1.50
================================================================
     Total                                      $3.80    $3.50

Option 2:

#    Product    Qty    Price    Discount (%)    Gross    Net
----------------------------------------------------------------
1    Hammer     1      $2.30    $0.30 (13.04%)  $2.30    $2.00
2    Crowbar           $9.99
3    Nail       10     $0.15                    $1.50    $1.50
================================================================
     Total                                      $3.80    $3.50

Option 3:

#    Product    Qty    Price    Discount (%)    Gross    Net
----------------------------------------------------------------
1    Hammer     1      $2.30    $0.30 (13.04%)  $2.30    $2.00
2    Crowbar    -      $9.95    -               -        -
3    Nail       10     $0.15    -               $1.50    $1.50
================================================================
     Total                                      $3.80    $3.50
5
  • Percentage sign on left side? never seen that. But it really makes an alignment over there. Dec 19, 2013 at 12:01
  • @SurjithSM: I'm sorry that were typos, I corrected them and update my answer. SurjithSM noticed that Total Net was %1.50.
    – Serg
    Dec 19, 2013 at 12:04
  • Oh yes. I did't see total, I just concentrated on signs :-) Dec 19, 2013 at 12:18
  • @Serg - Thanks. Among the 3 we are using the top most one. thanks
    – Joe
    Dec 20, 2013 at 5:39
  • Happy if it helped. I also like the option which offered by ColdCat in his comment to the question and which could be combined with option you are using.
    – Serg
    Dec 20, 2013 at 6:16
1

Well, This is based on for which country you are doing this project. So nothing is wrong or right.

Wikipedia Says

In the United States, Mexico, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Pacific Island nations, and English-speaking Canada, the dollar or peso symbol precedes the number, unlike most currency symbols. Five dollars or pesos is written and printed as $5, whereas five cents is written as 5¢. In French-speaking Canada, the dollar symbol usually appears after the number (5$), although it sometimes appears in front of it, or instead may even be totally absent.

In zero value, Its better to keep the same hierarchy you following for other numbers. Although Decimal value is not good. 0% is much better than 0.00%

2
  • "In zero value, Its better to keep the same hierarchy you following for other numbers. Although Decimal value is not good. 0% is much better than 0.00%" - Why?
    – Lovis
    Dec 19, 2013 at 11:37
  • 1
    @L.Möller because decimal makes no sense in this case Dec 19, 2013 at 11:43

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