# Channel Data Types

The data type of the channel determines:

- Which kinds of alarm violation criteria are available
- How channel values are formatted
- How voice and text messages are used in reports

The determination of a channel's data type is simple: the Source Net Address (SNA) determines the point and the data type of that point automatically becomes the raw data type of the channel. Therefore, changing the SNA or the transformation option of a channel may change the type.

SNA | Description | Data Type | Raw Type
--- | --- | --- | ---
0*module*point | Physical Input Point | Boolean or uint16 |
1*...*0xxxx | Remote Discrete Output | Boolean | Discrete
1*...*1xxxx | Remote Discrete Input | Boolean | Discrete
1*...*3xxxx | Remote Analog Input | uint16 | Integer
1*...*4xxxx | Remote Analog Output | uint16 | Integer
1*...*5xxxx | Remote Analog Output | floating point | IEEE32
Note: Catalyst only supports module=1 and point=1--4