Format operations are applied to data that the user sees from the database and to the data a user enters for insert, update, and delete. They provide very readable and friendly data formats for the user even if your database and SQL code cannot. They also make the job of data input by the user easier and less error prone, saving every one involved from costly networking and server processing for bad data formats errors, which could be avoided in the first place. They can even protect the enterprise from inconsistent data entries which cause faulty and more complex search operations on entered data. Combining field checks with data format routines produces a very powerful mechanism.