---
title: "Numeric Parsers"
slug: "numeric-parsers"
updated: 2022-07-27T21:31:55Z
published: 2022-07-27T21:31:55Z
canonical: "code.tag.bio/numeric-parsers"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://code.tag.bio/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Numeric Parsers

The *numeric* **parser** type is the second-most commonly utilized **parser** across all Data Products, behind the *categorical* **parser** type.

It inherits attributes and data loading behaviors from the abstract *column* **parser** type.

In most cases, it is intended to load data from a single column in a source data table into a single numeric **variable** placed into a **collection**.

## Attribute - merge

The *merge* attribute is optional. It will default to "AVG".

```
{
  "parser_type": "numeric",
  "column": "cccc",
  
  // If multiple values are encountered per entity
  // this attribute will tell the system how they
  // should aggregate into a single value.
  //
  // Options are "AVG", "SUM", "FIRST", "LAST"
  //
  "merge": "SUM",
  
  "collection": "collection_name",
  "variable": "variable_name",
}
```

## Attribute - digits

The *digits* attribute is optional.

```
{
  "parser_type": "numeric",
  "column": "cccc",
  
  // This will truncate floating point numbers to a 
  // maximum number of digits after decimal point
  //
  "digits": ####, 
  
  "collection": "collection_name",
  "variable": "variable_name",
}
```

## Attribute - coerce

The *coerce* attribute is optional. It will default to use 64-bit doubles.

```
{
  "parser_type": "numeric",
  "column": "cccc",
  
  // This will coerce the numeric variable(s) to use 32-bit floats
  // instead of 64-bit doubles, as long as the values match
  // up to this many digits after the decimal points.
  //
  "coerce": ####,
  
  "collection": "collection_name",
  "variable": "variable_name",
}
```

## Attribute - compress

The *compress* attribute is optional. It will default to "dense".

```
{
  "parser_type": "numeric",
  "column": "cccc",

  // If you know this numeric variable is sparse with respect
  // to entities, then the data loading can be optimized
  // by pre-specifying a sparse numeric variable.
  //
  "compress": "sparse",
  
  "collection": "collection_name",
  "variable": "variable_name",
}
```