---
title: Creating the XML format file
description: Creating the XML format file
---

[Skip to content](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/creating-the-format-file#main-content)

English

Show submenu for translations

![Intuitive logo RGB-1.png\]](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Intuitive%20logo%20RGB-1.png?height=40&name=Intuitive%20logo%20RGB-1.png)

Open main navigation

Close main navigation

- English
  
  Show submenu for translations
- [Go to weareintuitive.com](https://weareintuitive.com/)

[Go to weareintuitive.com](https://weareintuitive.com/)

 Hello. How can we help you?

- There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

1. [Help Center](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/?hsLang=en)
2. [Intuitive Dashboards Core Software](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-dashboards-core-software?hsLang=en)
3. [Connections](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-dashboards-core-software?hsLang=en#connections)

# Creating the XML format file

Format files are XML notation and are used to define how Intuitive Dashboards should treat the columns being read from a textfile. The use of a format file allows textfiles to be automatically generated from the source system (eg a mainframe computer) alongside accurate instructions regarding the typing and naming of each field.  
    
Format files have two key parts: **column headings** and **datatypes**. Each column heading included in a format file is used to populate the column headings of the datafeed and datasets, upon being loaded into the dashboard. The datatype associated with each column heading tells the dashboard what type of data the column will hold. Datatypes include **String**, **Integer** and **DateTime**.

Creating a new format file

**1**   Begin by copying a pre-existing format file in the **Intuitive\_WorkFiles** folder.  

**2**   Change the column headings in the copied file to reflect your text file data. Column headings must be in the same order as the columns within the text file. 

**3**   Change the datatype of each column heading to reflect the data the textfile column holds. For example if you have a column which contains both character and number entries then you set the column as string. If the column contains just numbers then it should be set to Int64 or Decimal. 

**4**   Save the file. Ensure you include .format.xml after the name. Otherwise, the text file will not be displayed in the drop down menu when creating a new connection. 

An example of a saved format file would be **example.format.xm**

- [Intuitive Dashboards Core Software](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-dashboards-core-software?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Getting Started](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-dashboards-core-software?hsLang=en#getting-started)
    - [Viewing Dashboards](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-dashboards-core-software?hsLang=en#viewing-dashboards)
    - [Interacting with dashboards](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-dashboards-core-software?hsLang=en#interacting-with-dashboards)
    - [Filters](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-dashboards-core-software?hsLang=en#filters)
    - [Connections](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-dashboards-core-software?hsLang=en#connections)
    - [Datafeeds](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-dashboards-core-software?hsLang=en#datafeeds)
    - [Datasets](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-dashboards-core-software?hsLang=en#datasets)
    - [Components](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-dashboards-core-software?hsLang=en#components)
    - [Creating Dashboards and Components - Overview](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-dashboards-core-software?hsLang=en#creating-dashboards-and-components-overview)
    - [Creating Components](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-dashboards-core-software?hsLang=en#creating-components)
    - [Creating a Dashboard](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-dashboards-core-software?hsLang=en#creating-a-dashboard)
    - [Administering the System](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-dashboards-core-software?hsLang=en#administering-the-system)
    - [Administering Users](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-dashboards-core-software?hsLang=en#administering-users)
    - [Administering Groups](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-dashboards-core-software?hsLang=en#administering-groups)
    - [Security Filters - V5.2 and earlier](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-dashboards-core-software?hsLang=en#security-filters-v5-2-and-earlier)
    - [Security Filters - V5.3 Onward](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-dashboards-core-software?hsLang=en#security-filters-v5-3-onward)
    - [Embedding Dashboards](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-dashboards-core-software?hsLang=en#embedding-dashboards)
    - [Configuration File](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-dashboards-core-software?hsLang=en#configuration-file)
    - [Installation & Configuration Guide](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-dashboards-core-software?hsLang=en#installation-configuration-guide)
    - [Version History](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-dashboards-core-software?hsLang=en#version-history)
- [Intuitive for PaperCut V2](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-papercut-v2?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Installing Intuitive for PaperCut](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-papercut-v2?hsLang=en#installing-intuitive-for-papercut)
    - [Viewing PaperCut Dashboards](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-papercut-v2?hsLang=en#viewing-papercut-dashboards)
    - [Editing PaperCut Dashboards](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-papercut-v2?hsLang=en#editing-papercut-dashboards)
    - [Intuitive for PaperCut Demonstration Videos](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-papercut-v2?hsLang=en#intuitive-for-papercut-demonstration-videos)
    - [Intuitive for PaperCut FAQs](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-papercut-v2?hsLang=en#intuitive-for-papercut-faqs)
- [Intuitive for PaperCut MF V3](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-papercut-mf-v3?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Installing Intuitive for PaperCut Version 3](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-papercut-mf-v3?hsLang=en#installing-intuitive-for-papercut-version-3)
    - [Viewing the dashboards - Intuitive for PaperCut Version 3](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-papercut-mf-v3?hsLang=en#viewing-the-dashboards-intuitive-for-papercut-version-3)
    - [Editing PaperCut Dashboards](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-papercut-mf-v3?hsLang=en#editing-papercut-dashboards)
    - [Intuitive for PaperCut FAQs](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-papercut-mf-v3?hsLang=en#intuitive-for-papercut-faqs)
- [Intuitive for SAFEQ](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-safeq?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [General Help](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-safeq?hsLang=en#general-help)
    - [Software Installation](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-safeq?hsLang=en#software-installation)
    - [Solution Expertise](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-safeq?hsLang=en#solution-expertise)
- [Intuitive For Managed Print Services (MPS)](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-managed-print-services-mps?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Intuitive for MPS - Overview](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-managed-print-services-mps?hsLang=en#intuitive-for-mps-overview)
    - [Intuitive for MPS - Installation Steps](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-managed-print-services-mps?hsLang=en#intuitive-for-mps-installation-steps)
    - [Intuitive for MPS - Import File Layouts](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-managed-print-services-mps?hsLang=en#intuitive-for-mps-import-file-layouts)
    - [Intuitive For MPS - Loading the Data Warehouse](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-managed-print-services-mps?hsLang=en#intuitive-for-mps-loading-the-data-warehouse)
- [Intuitive Cloud Services](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-cloud-services?hsLang=en)
- [Intuitive for PaperCut Hive V1](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-papercut-hive-v1?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Viewing the dashboards - Intuitive for PaperCut Hive](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-papercut-hive-v1?hsLang=en#viewing-the-dashboards-intuitive-for-papercut-hive)
- [Intuitive for SAFEQ Cloud](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-safeq-cloud?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Intuitive Solution Expertise](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-safeq-cloud?hsLang=en#intuitive-solution-expertise)
    - [Intuitive Software Provisioning](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-safeq-cloud?hsLang=en#intuitive-software-provisioning)
- [Intuitive for Docuware](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-docuware?hsLang=en)
- [Intuitive for Print Management](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-print-management?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Solution Knowledge](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-print-management?hsLang=en#solution-knowledge)
    - [Technical Information](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-print-management?hsLang=en#technical-information)
- [Intuitive for e-BRIDGE Global Print](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-e-bridge-global-print?hsLang=en)
- [Intuitive for e-FOLLOW Cloud](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/intuitive-for-e-follow-cloud?hsLang=en)
- [FAQ](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/faq?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Connections](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/faq?hsLang=en#connections)
    - [General Enquiries](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/faq?hsLang=en#general-enquiries)
    - [Datafeeds](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/faq?hsLang=en#datafeeds)
    - [Datasets](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/faq?hsLang=en#datasets)
    - [System Compatability](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/faq?hsLang=en#system-compatability)
    - [Software Installation](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/faq?hsLang=en#software-installation)

[![Chill listening crop-3](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Intuitive%20logo%20BLACK.png?width=102&height=24&name=Intuitive%20logo%20BLACK.png "Chill listening crop-3")](https://help.intuitivebusinessintelligence.com?hsLang=en)

weareintuitive.com Help Center

Copyright © 2026, Intuitive Business Intelligence Limited