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How to Edit a Column’s Data Type

Overview: You can adjust the data type of a column within a Compensation Cycle. This functionality currently applies only to Compensation Cycles but will expand to other products soon. When updating a column’s data type, remember that not all types are interchangeable. Some types can be switched, while others cannot.

Important Note About Data Types

A column that was originally created as text/string cannot be converted into a number-based type (like decimal, currency, or percentage).
This is because:

  • Text data can contain letters, symbols, spaces, and other characters that cannot be reliably interpreted as numbers.

  • If a system allowed switching text into a number type, it would risk errors or data corruption (for example, text like “ABC123” or “N/A” can’t become a valid number).

However, if the column is already a number type, then switching between number formats is allowed.
Examples of valid changes:

  • Decimal → Currency

  • Currency → Percentage

  • Percentage → Decimal

These are allowed because the underlying data is still numerical and can safely be interpreted in different formats.

Steps to Edit a Column’s Data Type

  1. Open your Compensation Cycle
    Navigate to the cycle where the column lives.

  2. Go to “Edit Columns”
    This section allows you to configure each field.

  3. Select the Column You Want to Modify
    Click the column and locate the Type field.

  4. Update the Data Type
    Use the dropdown to choose another available type.
    (If the system doesn’t allow the change, it means that conversion isn’t supported for that type.)