This section discusses INFUSE style standards regarding the use of different numbers, units, measurements, monetary values, dates, and time.
General number usage
Figures vs. written-out numbers
As a general rule, numbers under 10, as well as any numbers beginning a sentence, must be spelled in full. From 10 onwards, only numerals must be used. However, this system admits the following exceptions, for which figures are always utilized:
- Sentences beginning with years (e.g., 2025)
- Address numbers (e.g., 2385 NW Executibe Center Drive) (e.g., 2025)
- Measurements, such as dimensions, volume, temperature, speed, and others
- Percentage
- Currency
- Numbers in article titles and subtitles (e.g., 5 Steps to Futureproof Your Demand with First-Party Data Ahead of Cookie Changes) and references to these items in body text
Examples:
Decision makers expect ROI from their investments within 1 to 3 years
Decision makers expect ROI from their investments within one to three years
Three percent of the
surveyed buyers
3% of the surveyed buyers
3rd-party data
third-party data
Decimals, thousands, and millions
The distinction between integers and decimals, as well as the separators for thousands, are notated according to the standard adopted by most English-speaking countries, which uses commas to separate thousands and a period to indicate fractionals. As an example, following this standard, “one thousand and nine hundred dollars and forty-five cents” would be written as “$1,900.45”. Please note, however, that years are exempt from this rule.
In order to enhance readability for bigger numbers, we often utilize the words “millions,” “billions,” and “trillions.” In this case, numbers below 10 should be noted as figures instead: “€1.5 billion.”
Shortening thousands, millions, and billions to “k,” “M,” and “B,” respectively, is accepted
when discussing multiple large values in a single paragraph/short section.
Examples:
1400+ team members
1,400+ team members
A customized hub can increase page views by 78,5%
A customized hub can increase page views by 78.5%
Three million visitors
3 million visitors
Monetary values
For notating currency, two main approaches are utilized:
U.S. dollars, euros, and British pounds
Utilize the currency sign with no spaces for United States dollars ($), euros (€), and pounds sterling (£):
- “AI threat detection has lowered the damages from data breaches by an average of $2.2 million.”
- “Meta incurred five different sanctions for GDPR infringements, totaling almost €2.5 billion in fines.”
- “£50 in 1966 is roughly equivalent to £1,176 today.”
Other foreign currencies
For other currencies, please utilize the corresponding three-letter ISO code, followed by a space:
- “Following a ruling by the Supreme Court of Brazil, X has committed to paying BRL 28.6M in fines.”
Additionally, round integers should not feature the extra zeroes to the right of the decimal separator: $5.00 → $5.
Dates
When mentioning specific dates or periods, the following standards should be observed:
Days
In reference to specific days of the month, utilize only the numeral, without ordinal markers (st, nd, rd, th). If possible, days of the week should not be mentioned. However, if the context requires so, do not use abbreviations.
Examples:
June 3rd, 2025
June 3, 2025
The event takes place this Friday, May 2
The event takes place on May 2
Posts are scheduled every Tue./Thurs.
Posts are scheduled every Tuesday and Thursday
Months
When accompanied by a specific day of the month, utilize three-letter abbreviations for months with six or more letters. Otherwise, spell out the month in full.
Examples:
February 3, 2025
Feb. 3, 2025
The website will be released in Sep. 2026
The website will be released in September 2026
Mar. 3rd
March 3
Quarters
When referring to quarters, the INFUSE style uses the formula QX YYYY: Q1 2025.
Time
Standard notation
Please observe these rules when writing a specific time:
- We utilize the 12-hour model as a standard, employing a colon to separate minutes
- The time should be accompanied by a space and AM or PM, in capitals and without periods
- If relevant, please also include the corresponding time zone
- Do not use “h” or “m” to signal hours and minutes
Examples:
13h
1 PM
The webinar will begin at 3 PM
The webinar will begin at 3 PM EST.
The “h” and “m” symbols may be used when referring to a length of time. For example, “The webcast has a runtime of one hour and forty-five minutes” should be written as “The webcast has a runtime of 1h45m.”
Zeroes
As a general rule, suppress zeroes in the minute position when writing full hours. However, an exception is made if the copy requires two references to specific times to be displayed side by side, as when explaining the duration of an event. In this case, the zeroes should be employed when the minute position of one of the times is not equal to zero.
Examples:
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
1 PM – 2 PM
8 AM – 9:30 AM
8:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Noon and midnight
Please utilize the words “noon” and “midnight” instead of “12:00 PM” and “12:00 AM”, as this may be confusing for audiences that utilize the 24-hour format.
Examples:
Daylight Savings Time starts tomorrow at 12:00 AM
Daylight Savings Time starts at midnight.
Join us for a VIP lunch at 12:00 PM on July 20.
Join us for a VIP lunch at noon on July 20.