Forum Discussion
Replace Values is not working
- 1 year ago
I found the problem. It's the leading zeros. Power BI can't handle them with Replace Values because it automatically removes them in the M string. Even when you manually put them back in, it still doesn't correctly handle them.
I ended up just making a new column and doing this in Power Query to remove the non-numeric characters.
Text.Remove( [DT Number], { Character.FromNumber(32) .. Character.FromNumber(47), Character.FromNumber(58) .. Character.FromNumber(255) } )where [DT Number] is the original column. Then I formatted the column as whole number to just remove the leading zeros from the values being replaced. But, since Replace Values can't be entered as a non-numeric value when the column is formatted as whole number, you need to reformat again back to text. Then I used the new column to replace all the values and updated the reference in each visual to the new column.
This solution works, but it is still absolutely ridiculous that you can't just replace a value with a leading zero directly. Excel has been able to do that with no issues for literal decades.
How about adding the data in PBIX only and create separate table with Original Value and Replaced Value and then join it with original table ?
This would likely work.
Some of the values in the column also contain alpha characters, so I can't just change the type to "Whole Number" and just remove all leading zeros so the replacement string doesn't mess up. I don't particularly care to include those, so I think I may just end up creating a custom column that only keeps numeric characters and then format as whole number. That would remove all leading zeros and then the replacement should work since it wouldn't have to consider them anymore.
What's absurdly frustrating about this approach is now I need to adjust all of the replacement steps to run on the new column.
This all seems like an extremely convoluted way to just replace what I enter how I enter it, which excel does just fine in a matter of seconds.
Some of the Power BI functionality is really just odd... Extremely basic and simple tasks should be just that...
- srlabhe1 year ago
Super User
If you have the list of original values with its replacebale values in excel. Then just copy that -> goto Add Data and paste there.You rename the column headers as per you rneed
- Adamp19161 year ago
Helper I
The original values come from a sharepoint export. Then I have a vba macro that runs to replace the values with what I need. I don't want to have to export the data, then run the macro, then refresh power BI every day. I just want power BI to replace the values.
I agree that using Excel is much easier.
- v-aatheeque1 year ago
Community Support
Hi Adamp1916
In this scenario we suggest to provide sample data that covers your issue or question completely, in a usable format (not as a screenshot).
Do not include sensitive information. Do not include anything that is unrelated to the issue or question.Please show the expected outcome based on the sample data you provided.
How to provide sample data in the Power BI Forum - Microsoft Fabric Community