Skip to main content
cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Calling all Data Engineers! Fabric Data Engineer (Exam DP-700) live sessions are back! Starting October 16th. Sign up.

Reply
rchamberlain
Frequent Visitor

How to search a text column using a column list in another table and output first instance

Hello -

 

This situation seems so simple, but I'm struggling to get it to work.

 

I have two seperate tables and need to search a column in Table 1 using a list of values from a column in Table 2.

 

Example:

In Table1 I have a column called "Tags" with the following values listed in each.

 

Table1[Tags]

Tags
condition-4; condition-4.2; condition-3
condition-9; condition-5; condition-10
condition-8; condition-7; condition-6

 

I'm trying to create a calculated column that searches this field using a column in Table2 like this.

 

Table2[Condition_Name]

Condition_Name
condition-10
condition-9.1
condition-9
condition-8
condition-7
condition-6
condition-5
condition-4.2
condition-4.1

condition-4

 

What I need the calculated column to do is search Table1 using the values in Table2 and output the first instance starting from Top to bottom.

 

Expected output for the new calculated column in Table1

 

TagsNew Calculated Column
condition-4; condition-4.2; condition-3condition-4.2
condition-9; condition-5; condition-10condition-10
condition-8; condition-7; condition-6condition-8

 

I hope this makes sense and would be very greatful if someone can help!

 

Thanks,

Rich

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION
DataInsights
Super User
Super User

@rchamberlain,

 

Try this solution.

 

1. Create an Index column in Power Query for Table2 (Condition_Name).

 

DataInsights_0-1731088023455.png

 

DataInsights_1-1731088048214.png

 

2. Create calculated column in Table1 (Tags).

 

New Calculated Column = 
VAR vTag = Tags[Tags]
// get the minimum index (multiple matches may occur)
VAR vMinIndex =
    MINX (
        FILTER (
            Condition_Name,
            CONTAINSSTRING ( vTag, Condition_Name[Condition_Name] )
        ),
        Condition_Name[Index]
    )
VAR vResult =
    // get the condition name corresponding to the minimum index
    MAXX (
        FILTER ( Condition_Name, Condition_Name[Index] = vMinIndex ),
        Condition_Name[Condition_Name]
    )
RETURN
    vResult

 

DataInsights_2-1731088192358.png

 





Did I answer your question? Mark my post as a solution!

Proud to be a Super User!




View solution in original post

3 REPLIES 3
DataInsights
Super User
Super User

@rchamberlain,

 

Try this solution.

 

1. Create an Index column in Power Query for Table2 (Condition_Name).

 

DataInsights_0-1731088023455.png

 

DataInsights_1-1731088048214.png

 

2. Create calculated column in Table1 (Tags).

 

New Calculated Column = 
VAR vTag = Tags[Tags]
// get the minimum index (multiple matches may occur)
VAR vMinIndex =
    MINX (
        FILTER (
            Condition_Name,
            CONTAINSSTRING ( vTag, Condition_Name[Condition_Name] )
        ),
        Condition_Name[Index]
    )
VAR vResult =
    // get the condition name corresponding to the minimum index
    MAXX (
        FILTER ( Condition_Name, Condition_Name[Index] = vMinIndex ),
        Condition_Name[Condition_Name]
    )
RETURN
    vResult

 

DataInsights_2-1731088192358.png

 





Did I answer your question? Mark my post as a solution!

Proud to be a Super User!




Thanks for the quick reply!  This worked perfectly!

 

lbendlin
Super User
Super User

and output the first instance starting from Top to bottom.

Power BI has no concept of that.  You need to indicate what you mean by "top" or "bottom".  Usually by adding an index column

 

lbendlin_0-1731087313170.png

 

Your request doesn't seem to depend on user input, so instead of doing it as a calculated column you could also decide to do it in Power Query.

 

let
    Source = Table.FromRows(Json.Document(Binary.Decompress(Binary.FromText("i45WSs7PS8ksyczP0zWxVkDi6Bkhc42VYnWQ1VoiS5oicwwN0JRaIMuaI3PMlGJjAQ==", BinaryEncoding.Base64), Compression.Deflate)), let _t = ((type nullable text) meta [Serialized.Text = true]) in type table [Tags = _t]),
    #"Added Custom" = Table.AddColumn(Source, "Custom Column", each List.Intersect({Text.Split([Tags],"; "),#"Condition_Name"[Condition_Name]})),
    #"Added Custom1" = Table.AddColumn(#"Added Custom", "Custom", (k)=> List.First(Table.Sort(Table.SelectRows(#"Condition_Name",each List.Contains(k[Custom Column],[Condition_Name])),"Index")[Condition_Name])),
    #"Removed Columns" = Table.RemoveColumns(#"Added Custom1",{"Custom Column"})
in
    #"Removed Columns"

 

lbendlin_1-1731088181061.png

 

 

Helpful resources

Announcements
FabCon Global Hackathon Carousel

FabCon Global Hackathon

Join the Fabric FabCon Global Hackathon—running virtually through Nov 3. Open to all skill levels. $10,000 in prizes!

FabCon Atlanta 2026 carousel

FabCon Atlanta 2026

Join us at FabCon Atlanta, March 16-20, for the ultimate Fabric, Power BI, AI and SQL community-led event. Save $200 with code FABCOMM.