diff --git a/base/mf_getengine.sas b/base/mf_getengine.sas
index 06e3fc8..5049e4e 100755
--- a/base/mf_getengine.sas
+++ b/base/mf_getengine.sas
@@ -12,9 +12,10 @@
   contributors of Chris Hemedingers blog [post](
   http://blogs.sas.com/content/sasdummy/2013/06/04/find-a-sas-library-engine/)
 
-  @param libref Library reference (also accepts a 2 level libds ref).
+  @param [in] libref Library reference (also accepts a 2 level libds ref).
 
-  @return output returns the library engine for the FIRST library encountered.
+  @return output returns the library engine (uppercase) for the FIRST library
+    encountered.
 
   @warning will only return the FIRST library engine - for concatenated
     libraries, with different engines, inconsistent results may be encountered.
@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@
     %let rc= %sysfunc(close(&dsid));
   %end;
 
-  &engine
+  %upcase(&engine)
 
 %mend mf_getengine;
 
diff --git a/base/mp_applyformats.sas b/base/mp_applyformats.sas
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f79cb20
--- /dev/null
+++ b/base/mp_applyformats.sas
@@ -0,0 +1,181 @@
+/**
+  @file
+  @brief Apply a set of formats to a table
+  @details Applies a set of formats to one or more SAS datasets.  Can be used
+    to migrate formats from one table to another.  The input table must contain
+    the following columns:
+
+    @li lib - the libref of the table to be updated
+    @li ds - the dataset to be updated
+    @li var - the variable to be updated
+    @li fmt - the format to apply.  Missing or default ($CHAR, 8.) formats are
+      ignored.
+
+  The macro will abort in the following scenarios:
+
+    @li Libref not assigned
+    @li Dataset does not exist
+    @li Input table contains null or invalid values
+
+  Example usage:
+
+      data work.example;
+        set sashelp.prdsale;
+        format _all_ clear;
+      run;
+
+      %mp_getcols(sashelp.prdsale,outds=work.cols)
+
+      data work.cols2;
+        set work.cols;
+        lib='WORK';
+        ds='EXAMPLE';
+        var=name;
+        fmt=format;
+        keep lib ds var fmt;
+      run;
+
+      %mp_applyformats(work.cols2)
+
+  @param [in] inds The input dataset containing the formats to apply (and where
+    to apply them).  Example structure:
+  |LIB:$4.|DS:$7.|VAR:$32.|FMT:$49.|
+  |---|---|---|---|
+  |`WORK `|`EXAMPLE `|`ACTUAL `|`DOLLAR12.2 `|
+  |`WORK `|`EXAMPLE `|`COUNTRY `|`$CHAR10. `|
+  |`WORK `|`EXAMPLE `|`DIVISION `|`$CHAR10. `|
+  |`WORK `|`EXAMPLE `|`MONTH `|`MONNAME3. `|
+  |`WORK `|`EXAMPLE `|`PREDICT `|`DOLLAR12.2 `|
+  |`WORK `|`EXAMPLE `|`PRODTYPE `|`$CHAR10. `|
+  |`WORK `|`EXAMPLE `|`PRODUCT `|`$CHAR10. `|
+  |`WORK `|`EXAMPLE `|`QUARTER `|`8. `|
+  |`WORK `|`EXAMPLE `|`REGION `|`$CHAR10. `|
+  |`WORK `|`EXAMPLE `|`YEAR `|`8. `|
+
+  @param [out] errds= (0) Provide a libds reference here to export the
+    error messages to a table.  In this case, they will not be printed to the
+    log.
+
+  <h4> SAS Macros </h4>
+  @li mf_getengine.sas
+  @li mf_getuniquefileref.sas
+  @li mf_getuniquename.sas
+  @li mf_nobs.sas
+  @li mp_validatecol.sas
+
+
+  <h4> Related Macros </h4>
+  @li mp_getformats.sas
+
+  @version 9.2
+  @author Allan Bowe
+
+**/
+
+%macro mp_applyformats(inds,errds=0
+)/*/STORE SOURCE*/;
+%local outds liblist i engine lib msg ;
+
+/**
+  * Validations
+  */
+proc sort data=&inds;
+  by lib ds var fmt;
+run;
+
+%if &errds=0 %then %let outds=%mf_getuniquename(prefix=mp_applyformats);
+%else %let outds=&errds;
+
+data &outds;
+  set &inds;
+  where fmt not in ('','.', '$', '$CHAR.','8.');
+  length msg $128;
+  by lib ds var fmt;
+  if libref(lib) ne 0 then do;
+    msg=catx(' ','libref',lib,'is not assigned!');
+    %if &errds=0 %then %do;
+      putlog "%str(ERR)OR: " msg;
+    %end;
+    output;
+    return;
+  end;
+  if exist(cats(lib,'.',ds)) ne 1 then do;
+    msg=catx(' ','libds',lib,'.',ds,'does not exist!');
+    %if &errds=0 %then %do;
+      putlog "%str(ERR)OR: " msg;
+    %end;
+    output;
+    return;
+  end;
+  %mp_validatecol(fmt,FORMAT,is_fmt)
+  if is_fmt=0 then do;
+    msg=catx(' ','format',fmt,'on libds',lib,'.',ds,'.',var,'is not valid!');
+    %if &errds=0 %then %do;
+      putlog "%str(ERR)OR: " msg;
+    %end;
+    output;
+    return;
+  end;
+
+  if first.ds then do;
+    retain dsid;
+    dsid=open(cats(lib,'.',ds));
+    if dsid=0 then do;
+      msg=catx(' ','libds',lib,'.',ds,' could not be opened!');
+      %if &errds=0 %then %do;
+        putlog "%str(ERR)OR: " msg;
+      %end;
+      output;
+      return;
+    end;
+    if varnum(dsid,var)<1 then do;
+      msg=catx(' ','Variable',lib,'.',ds,'.',var,' was not found!');
+      %if &errds=0 %then %do;
+        putlog "%str(ERR)OR: " msg;
+      %end;
+      output;
+    end;
+  end;
+  if last.ds then rc=close(dsid);
+run;
+
+proc sql noprint;
+select distinct lib into: liblist separated by ' ' from &inds;
+%put &=liblist;
+%do i=1 %to %sysfunc(countw(&liblist));
+  %let lib=%scan(&liblist,1);
+  %let engine=%mf_getengine(&lib);
+  %if &engine ne V9 and &engine ne BASE %then %do;
+    %let msg=&lib has &engine engine - formats cannot be applied;
+    proc sql;
+    insert into &outds set lib="&lib",ds="_all_",var="_all", msg="&msg" ;
+    %if &errds=0 %then %put %str(ERR)OR: &msg;
+  %end;
+%end;
+
+%if %mf_nobs(&outds)>0 %then %return;
+
+/**
+  * Validations complete - now apply the actual formats!
+  */
+%let fref=%mf_getuniquefileref();
+data _null_;
+  set &inds;
+  by lib ds var fmt;
+  where fmt not in ('','.', '$', '$CHAR.','8.');
+  file &fref;
+  if first.lib then put 'proc datasets nolist lib=' lib ';';
+  if first.ds then put '  modify ' ds ';';
+  put '    format ' var fmt ';';
+  if last.ds then put '  run;';
+  if last.lib then put 'quit;';
+run;
+
+%inc &fref/source2;
+
+%if &errds=0 %then %do;
+  proc sql;
+  drop table &outds;
+%end;
+
+%mend mp_applyformats;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/base/mp_getformats.sas b/base/mp_getformats.sas
index b50373c..55ead0a 100644
--- a/base/mp_getformats.sas
+++ b/base/mp_getformats.sas
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ https://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/proc/61895/HTML/default/viewer.htm#
 
 
   <h4> Related Macros </h4>
+  @li mp_applyformats.sas
   @li mp_getformats.test.sas
 
   @version 9.2
diff --git a/base/mp_validatecol.sas b/base/mp_validatecol.sas
index f544853..bef24e7 100644
--- a/base/mp_validatecol.sas
+++ b/base/mp_validatecol.sas
@@ -20,10 +20,13 @@
       ;;;;
       run;
 
+  Tip - when contributing, use https://regex101.com to test the regex validity!
+
   @param [in] incol The column to be validated
   @param [in] rule The rule to apply.  Current rules:
     @li ISNUM - checks if the variable is numeric
     @li LIBDS - matches LIBREF.DATASET format
+    @li FORMAT - checks if the provided format is syntactically valid
   @param [out] outcol The variable to create, with the results of the match
 
   <h4> SAS Macros </h4>
@@ -62,5 +65,19 @@
   if prxmatch(&tempcol, trim(&incol)) then &outcol=1;
   else &outcol=0;
 %end;
+%else %if &rule=FORMAT %then %do;
+  /* match valid format - regex could probably be improved */
+  if _n_=1 then do;
+    retain &tempcol;
+    &tempcol=prxparse('/^[_a-z\$]\w{0,31}\.[0-9]*$/i');
+    if missing(&tempcol) then do;
+      putlog "%str(ERR)OR: Invalid expression for FORMAT";
+      stop;
+    end;
+    drop &tempcol;
+  end;
+  if prxmatch(&tempcol, trim(&incol)) then &outcol=1;
+  else &outcol=0;
+%end;
 
 %mend mp_validatecol;
diff --git a/tests/crossplatform/mp_applyformats.test.sas b/tests/crossplatform/mp_applyformats.test.sas
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d6a5fdf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/crossplatform/mp_applyformats.test.sas
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+/**
+  @file
+  @brief Testing mp_applyformats.sas macro
+
+  <h4> SAS Macros </h4>
+  @li mf_getvarformat.sas
+  @li mp_applyformats.sas
+  @li mp_assert.sas
+  @li mp_getcols.sas
+
+**/
+
+/**
+  * Test 1 Base case
+  */
+
+data work.example;
+  set sashelp.prdsale;
+  format _all_;
+run;
+%let origfmt=%mf_getvarformat(work.example,month);
+
+%mp_getcols(sashelp.prdsale,outds=work.cols)
+
+data work.cols2;
+  set work.cols;
+  lib='WORK';
+  ds='EXAMPLE';
+  var=name;
+  fmt=format;
+  keep lib ds var fmt;
+run;
+
+%mp_applyformats(work.cols2)
+
+%mp_assert(
+  iftrue=("&orig_fmt"=""),
+  desc=Check that formats were cleared,
+  outds=work.test_results
+)
+%mp_assert(
+  iftrue=("%mf_getvarformat(work.example,month)"="MONNAME3."),
+  desc=Check that formats were applied,
+  outds=work.test_results
+)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/crossplatform/mp_validatecol.test.sas b/tests/crossplatform/mp_validatecol.test.sas
index 7a37916..2fdae62 100644
--- a/tests/crossplatform/mp_validatecol.test.sas
+++ b/tests/crossplatform/mp_validatecol.test.sas
@@ -59,4 +59,37 @@ run;
   desc=Test2 - ISNUM,
   test=EQUALS 4,
   outds=work.test_results
+)
+
+/**
+  * Test 3 - FORMAT
+  */
+data test3;
+  infile datalines4 dsd;
+  input;
+  infile=_infile_;
+  %mp_validatecol(infile,FORMAT,is_format)
+  if is_format=1;
+datalines4;
+$.
+$format.
+$format12.2
+somenum.
+somenum12.4
+above are good
+the rest are bad
+%abort
+1&somethingverybad.
+&
++-1
+.
+a.A
+$format12.1b
+$format12.1b1
+;;;;
+run;
+%mp_assertdsobs(work.test3,
+  desc=Test3 - ISFORMAT,
+  test=EQUALS 5,
+  outds=work.test_results
 )
\ No newline at end of file