diff --git a/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/format/support/AbstractFormatterFactory.java b/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/format/support/AbstractFormatterFactory.java
index f6ce4d50..b03fe806 100644
--- a/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/format/support/AbstractFormatterFactory.java
+++ b/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/format/support/AbstractFormatterFactory.java
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ import org.springframework.context.i18n.LocaleContext;
 import org.springframework.context.i18n.SimpleLocaleContext;
 
 /**
- * Base class for formatter factories.
+ * Base class for formatter factories. Manages the locale used by the produced
+ * formatters using Spring's {@link org.springframework.context.i18n.LocaleContext} system.
  * 
  * @author Keith Donald
  */
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractFormatterFactory implements FormatterFactory {
 	private Style defaultTimeStyle = Style.MEDIUM;
 
 	/**
-	 * Set's the locale context used. Defaults to a SimpleLocaleContext holding
+	 * Sets the locale context used. Defaults to a {@link SimpleLocaleContext} holding
 	 * the system default locale.
 	 */
 	public void setLocaleContext(LocaleContext localeContext) {
diff --git a/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/format/support/FormatterPropertyEditor.java b/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/format/support/FormatterPropertyEditor.java
index 341cddab..b39e5a40 100644
--- a/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/format/support/FormatterPropertyEditor.java
+++ b/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/format/support/FormatterPropertyEditor.java
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ import org.springframework.binding.format.Formatter;
 public class FormatterPropertyEditor extends PropertyEditorSupport {
 
 	/**
-	 * The formatter
+	 * The wrapped formatter.
 	 */
 	private Formatter formatter;
 
diff --git a/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/format/support/NumberFormatter.java b/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/format/support/NumberFormatter.java
index 30a22783..59bdd769 100644
--- a/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/format/support/NumberFormatter.java
+++ b/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/format/support/NumberFormatter.java
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
  */
 package org.springframework.binding.format.support;
 
+import java.math.BigDecimal;
 import java.math.BigInteger;
 import java.text.NumberFormat;
 
@@ -22,8 +23,8 @@ import org.springframework.binding.format.InvalidFormatException;
 import org.springframework.util.NumberUtils;
 
 /**
- * Converts from various
- * <code>Number<code> specializations to <code>String</code> and back.
+ * Converts from various <code>Number<code> specializations to
+ * <code>String</code> and back.
  * 
  * @author Keith Donald
  */
@@ -32,7 +33,8 @@ public class NumberFormatter extends AbstractFormatter {
 	private NumberFormat numberFormat;
 	
 	/**
-	 * Default constructor.
+	 * Default constructor. The formatter will use "toString" when formatting
+	 * a value and "valueOf" when parsing a value.
 	 */
 	public NumberFormatter() {
 	}
@@ -79,6 +81,10 @@ public class NumberFormatter extends AbstractFormatter {
 	
 	// convenience methods
 
+	public Byte parseByte(String formattedString) throws InvalidFormatException {
+		return (Byte)parseValue(formattedString, Byte.class);
+	}
+
 	public Short parseShort(String formattedString) throws InvalidFormatException {
 		return (Short)parseValue(formattedString, Short.class);
 	}
@@ -91,19 +97,19 @@ public class NumberFormatter extends AbstractFormatter {
 		return (Long)parseValue(formattedString, Long.class);
 	}
 
-	public Double parseDouble(String formattedString) throws InvalidFormatException {
-		return (Double)parseValue(formattedString, Double.class);
-	}
-
 	public Float parseFloat(String formattedString) throws InvalidFormatException {
 		return (Float)parseValue(formattedString, Float.class);
 	}
 
+	public Double parseDouble(String formattedString) throws InvalidFormatException {
+		return (Double)parseValue(formattedString, Double.class);
+	}
+
 	public BigInteger parseBigInteger(String formattedString) throws InvalidFormatException {
 		return (BigInteger)parseValue(formattedString, BigInteger.class);
 	}
-
-	public Byte parseByte(String formattedString) throws InvalidFormatException {
-		return (Byte)parseValue(formattedString, Byte.class);
+	
+	public BigDecimal parseBigDecimal(String formattedString) throws InvalidFormatException {
+		return (BigDecimal)parseValue(formattedString, BigDecimal.class);
 	}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/format/support/SimpleFormatterFactory.java b/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/format/support/SimpleFormatterFactory.java
index 851b2f8d..77226e7e 100644
--- a/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/format/support/SimpleFormatterFactory.java
+++ b/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/format/support/SimpleFormatterFactory.java
@@ -28,9 +28,6 @@ import org.springframework.binding.format.Style;
  */
 public class SimpleFormatterFactory extends AbstractFormatterFactory {
 
-	public SimpleFormatterFactory() {
-	}
-
 	public Formatter getDateFormatter(Style style) {
 		return new DateFormatter(SimpleDateFormat.getDateInstance(style.shortValue(), getLocale()));
 	}
@@ -53,7 +50,7 @@ public class SimpleFormatterFactory extends AbstractFormatterFactory {
 	}
 
 	public Formatter getDateFormatter(String encodedFormat) {
-		return new DateFormatter(new SimpleDateFormat(encodedFormat));
+		return new DateFormatter(new SimpleDateFormat(encodedFormat, getLocale()));
 	}
 
 	public Formatter getPercentFormatter() {