# Error with field formatter on new record creation **URL:** \ **Category:** Get Help\ **Created:** [June 26, 2026, 2:27pm UTC](https://speciforum.org/t/error-with-field-formatter-on-new-record-creation/3802 "2026-06-26T14:27:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nfshoobs](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/speciforum.org/nfshoobs/32/3979_2.png) [@nfshoobs](https://speciforum.org/u/nfshoobs)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2026, 2:27pm UTC](https://speciforum.org/t/error-with-field-formatter-on-new-record-creation/3802/1 "2026-06-26T14:27:28Z")
On v7.12.0.6, I have recently noticed a strange error. I think it may have something to do with [the Schema Config bug in 7.12.0](https://speciforum.org/t/important-update-schema-configuration-reversions-in-specify-7-12-0/3560) and subsequent SQL fix written by @jason_m for us, but I’m not sure. When we attempt to create a CE record manually from the CE form, upon trying to save a record, we get this error: `"exception": "FormatMismatch", "message": "value '\[0-9\\\\\\\\-\]{3}.:####' doesn't match formatter /^\[0-9\\\\-\]{3}.$/:####"` [Specify 7 Crash Report - 2026-06-26T14\_05\_26.763Z.txt](https://speciforum.org/uploads/short-url/k8pntLtOCbIyYJCNuxcNE3Uy0A.txt) (693.4 KB) The field formatter Regex is the same as it’s always been, I have not edited it recently (at least, not wittingly). I do notice that the field formatter menu in schema config has two fields now (I don’t recall it having 2 before). That blank field for “value” is empty in our field formatter records, but they cannot be saved/updated because it is a required field. ![Screenshot 2026-06-26 at 10.12.03 AM](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/specifysoftware/original/2X/e/ec8cce9c860ea6cf978a1fe702abb346a595d0a0.jpeg) [UIFormatters.xml](https://speciforum.org/uploads/short-url/6nZbyC0cmVUc7e83fTpGxMfidgl.xml) (8.0 KB) It took us a while to notice this because we only create CE records using the full field formatter when we make new collections in the field, and I usually pre-assign numbers for my own collecting. Any ideas? I’ve been messing around with it for a few minutes and haven’t been able to get it working. ---
**Author:** ![bronwyn](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/speciforum.org/bronwyn/32/5742_2.png) [@bronwyn](https://speciforum.org/u/bronwyn)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2026, 4:42pm UTC](https://speciforum.org/t/error-with-field-formatter-on-new-record-creation/3802/2 "2026-06-26T16:42:29Z")
Hey Nate, This looks like [Data in fields with Regex formats changes appearance in 7.12+ · Issue #8129 · specify/specify7 · GitHub](https://github.com/specify/specify7/issues/8129), which will be fixed in `v7.12.0.7` by [PR #8152](https://github.com/specify/specify7/pull/8152). The error message ```auto "value '[0-9\\\\\\\\-]{3}.:####' doesn't match formatter /^[0-9\\\\-]{3}.$/:####\" ``` indicates that there are `^` and `$` characters in the format that aren’t in the field’s value. When I add the same format to a local database on `v7.12.0.6`, the XML editor reveals that those characters are included in the format although not shown in the visual editor. ![Field Format in XML Editor](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/specifysoftware/original/2X/1/1a1c44a39706cb5dc002eea11938ed7e8b56a47c.png) To work around this, you can correct the format definition with the XML editor. The format will be enforced as expected so long as you can avoid the visual editor. See [Field Formatting and Auto-Numbering: Example #3](https://speciforum.org/t/field-formatting-and-auto-numbering/663#p-1083-example-3-regular-expression-segment-31) and [Regular Expression Formatter Setup: Example Implementation 2](https://speciforum.org/t/catalog-number-regular-expression-formatter-set-up/766#p-1236-example-implementation-2) for guidance on what the `value` and `pattern` attributes expect. If you’re interested, there is a branch of `v7.12.0.6` with just the fix in PR #8152 added that we can direct you to. ---
**Author:** ![nfshoobs](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/speciforum.org/nfshoobs/32/3979_2.png) [@nfshoobs](https://speciforum.org/u/nfshoobs)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2026, 7:38pm UTC](https://speciforum.org/t/error-with-field-formatter-on-new-record-creation/3802/3 "2026-06-26T19:38:25Z")
Ah, I didn’t realize it had been written up! Editing the XML solved this. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/specifysoftware/original/2X/1/18a843c97bc32b40e8ad0e035755bc88ffaacaf7.svg) [@system](https://speciforum.org/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2026, 7:38pm UTC](https://speciforum.org/t/error-with-field-formatter-on-new-record-creation/3802/4 "2026-07-03T19:38:53Z")
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