Dollar Formatting
Dollar amounts can be written with a dollar sign, a currency code, or the word “dollar,” depending on context and the need to disambiguate currencies. Microsoft style allows the symbol when the intended currency is clear and otherwise uses the code before the amount.
Use “$” when the intended dollar currency is clear; use an explicit currency code such as USD when ambiguity matters. Follow the governing locale and house style for spacing and decimals.
Key details
Important caveats
Ambiguity Boundary
The dollar sign is used by multiple currencies, so an explicit code can be clearer in international or multi-currency material.
Style Boundary
Decimal precision, separators, and spacing can vary by locale and publication; this guide does not impose one universal money format.
Further guidance
Practical Application
Choose the currency notation from context: use the dollar sign when the intended currency is already unambiguous, and add an explicit code when readers could reasonably confuse US, Canadian, Australian, or other dollar currencies. Keep decimal and spacing conventions consistent with the governing locale/style.
Reader Check
Could an international reader identify the currency from the symbol and surrounding context alone?
Worked Example
In a US-only price list, “$250” may be sufficient; in a multinational comparison, “USD 250” or another house-style-approved explicit form removes currency ambiguity.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Currency — Microsoft Style Guide (opens in a new tab)Microsoft · Microsoft house style for currency names, codes, symbols, and amounts