Default Null Values by Syntax

Clarify reads and renders different null values depending on the data syntax.

Syntax type	Null value description
EDI	A null value in EDI appears as ** (delimiterDelimiter).
Database	The default null value for null numeric fields is 0 (zero). The default null value for null alpha fields is either a single blank space ( ) or multiple blank spaces to length, depending on the field's requirements.
Spreadsheet	The default null value for null fields is to leave the cell empty.
Flat File - Fixed Length	The default null value for string fields is a blank space ( ). The default null value for numeric fields is 0 (zero). Clarify fills the entire length of the field with the null value. For example, a numeric field with a length of five will display a null as 00000.
Flat File - Delimited	The null field appears as ,, (delimiterDelimiter). If a field has a minimum length and is null, the field will be padded with empty characters (leading zeros for numeric, trailing spaces for alpha).
XML	A null value appears as <tag/> with tag being the specific tag for the empty attribute.