Compatibility issues with the "Compact" decimal style for Y axis labels

The Problem

If you create a graph using Prism 10.2.0 (or newer versions), and select the the Decimals format option "Compact: 0.01, 0.1, 1, ..." for the axis ticks in the Format Axes dialog, this option will be changed to "Auto (n)" after saving the file and re-opening it in Prism version 10.1.1 (or older versions). This will occur with all graph types that use the "Linear" scale option.

As an example, here is what a graph would look like using the "Compact: 0.01, 0.1, 1, ..." option in Prism version 10.2.0 or newer:

And that same graph with the option switched to "Auto (n)" after opening it in Prism version 10.1.1 or older:

Why does this happen?

The issue is with the compatibility of the "Compact" decimals format for regular ticks on axes with the "Linear" scale option. Earlier Prism versions automatically reset the appearance of these graphs to the "Auto (n)" option.

What can I do?

The only way to avoid this issue is to ensure that you and others accessing your file are using the most up-to-date version of Prism. To update Prism, open the Help menu and select Check for updates or download the most up-to-date installer from the Prism updates page.