> ## Setting Clinical Group identifier format

> This field on the Clinical Group form allows you to create a default format for a Clinical Group's identifiers. This format is applied to entries made on a subject form.

> You can specify a default format by using one of the three special characters:

> - The "$" represents any numerical value
> - The "@" represents any letter
> - The "?" represents a letter or a number

> Other characters or spaces are considered constants and do not need to be entered by the data entry personnel. For example, UWMC uses the following format for chart numbers:

> U 1-23-45-67

> Here is how the default format appears for UWMC:

> U $-$$-$$-$$

> In this format, the space, the hyphens and the letter "U" are all constants. The data entry person need only enter the variable number portion of the identifier (for example 1234567) and the number will be automatically formatted.