Significance is the point in which data becomes significant and, if truncated, would cause a loss of meaning. Significance can be forced by the edit pattern picture, or by the data itself.
For numeric, numeric/text, or picture data types, significant data begins with the left-most non-zero digit on the right of the decimal point.
For example, 00123.4500 is the same as 123.45. The leading and trailing zeroes add nothing to the meaning of the data.
After significance is turned on, it remains on until the second condition (right most non-zero digit after the decimal point) is encountered.
For example, the zeroes in the value 120.01 are significant, and cannot be removed without changing the value.
In picture strings, Z represents an optional digit, and 9 represents a mandatory digit which must be present even if the data is insignificant.
The Z specifiers can exist only on the left side of the picture string, before any 9 specifiers. The 9 specifier forces significance to be turned on, regardless of the data values, and to remain on for the rest of the pattern (proceeding from left to right). The Z specifier is illegal if it exists after a 9, since the significance has been forced on by the 9.
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