By default, the default values that you specify and the values that you import to display in a list box, combo box, or radio buttons appear exactly as they are stored in the data source. Sometimes, the values are not in a format that is appropriate for display. For example, US telephone numbers might be stored in ########## format. It is preferable to display these values in another format, such as (###) ###-####.

To specify a different format, use the Format As property. Format a report parameter value in the same way that you format a value that a data element displays. Either select from a list of common formats, or specify a custom format pattern.

Note that you can reformat values for display purposes only. You cannot use the Format As property to require a user to type values in a particular format. In addition, the property setting does not affect the format of the data in the report.