Specify the format for your product's trialware serial number and—if trial extensions are allowed—the extension serial number:

- Type a question mark (?) to represent each character in your product's trialware serial number. For example, if a serial number consists of seven characters, type seven question marks in this field.
- To split the serial number into groups of characters, type a dash (-) between each group of question marks. The dash indicates a break in the serial number, where one group of characters ends and another begins.

For a serial number format of ???-????, the serial number field on the trialware run-time dialog would consist of two boxes; end users would be able to type only three characters in the first box and only four characters in the second box.

If the type of trialware is Try and Buy/Product Activation, the format for the serial numbers entered at the InstallShield Activation Service Publisher Web Site must match the format specified in the Serial Number Format property. Note that the Publisher Web Site does not check to make sure that the serial numbers match the format specified in InstallShield.

If you allow trial extensions, the serial number that you specify for the Extension Serial Number property must fit the format specified in the Serial Number Format property.