HOW TO
When adding a numeric field to a file or personal geodatabase attribute table, 'precision' refers to the number of significant digits that can be stored in a field, and 'scale' represents the number of decimal places.
The following workflow describes how to define the precision and scale for fields in ArcMap.
The Add Field (Data Management) tool is used create a new field in the attribute table. It allows users to specify precision and scale values. However, these values are ignored if the selected field type does not match the precision and scale values entered.
Use the following guidelines to select the field type for a given precision and scale.
Sometimes, numeric values are truncated in the field. This is because the default number of decimal places that can be displayed in an attribute table is six. The number of decimal points and significant digits can be reviewed in Field Properties. Refer to ArcMap: Formatting numeric fields in tables for instructions.
When editing, ArcMap displays numerical values in three decimal places. These values include the values reported when new features are created, as well as distance, coordinates, and values found in Edit Sketch Properties. The number of decimal places displayed for measurements can be customized using Editing Options. Refer to ArcMap: Setting the number of decimal places displayed for measurements for more information.
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