Using a comma separated column to lookup a value in another unrelated table

[Craigo]

Hello. I have one table with comma separated column and I want to look up each value in another unrelated table and if it exists, get the value from a different column in that second table and create a new column in the first table. For example (this is a VERY simplified version of what Im after), I have a table

And I want to take each of the “Sales_Codes” and look for them in the “item_code” column in the table below and if it exists in “item_code”, return the “item_desc”

So the result would look like

Because of the ways the tables are created, there would never be a possibility of an ID being more than one of the “item_desc” values (i.e 453124 would only be “car” and nothing else, but I have to look it up to know that it is “car”). Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.

[barritown]

Hi @Craigo,

There is also such an option:

- split the comma separated lists in the [Item_Code] column of your second table into separate rows using this solution - https://community.fabric.microsoft.com/t5/DAX-Commands-and-Tips/Calculated-column-with-comma-delimit...

- once done, the following calculated column does the rest:

Item_desc = 
MINX ( FILTER ( Ref, CONTAINSSTRING ( [Sales_Code], [Item_Code] ) ), [Item_desc] )

Best Regards,

Alexander

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[Craigo · Accepted solution]

Mate, that works brilliantly. I'll do some more testing with a slightly more complex set of tables, but I think this will work. Thanks very much for your help.

[v-tangjie-msft]

Hi @Craigo ,

According to your description, here are my steps you can follow as a solution.

(1) My test data is the same as yours.

(2) We can create calculated columns.

PATH = SUBSTITUTE([Sales_Code],",","|")

PATH_1 = PATHITEM([PATH],1)

PATH_2 = PATHITEM([PATH],2)

PATH_3 = PATHITEM([PATH],3)

Item_desc = MAXX(FILTER(Table2,CONTAINSSTRING([Item_Code],EARLIER(Table1[PATH_1]))||IF(EARLIER(Table1[PATH_2])<>BLANK(),CONTAINSSTRING([Item_Code],EARLIER(Table1[PATH_2])))||IF(EARLIER(Table1[PATH_3])<>BLANK(),CONTAINSSTRING([Item_Code],EARLIER(Table1[PATH_3])))),[Item_desc])

(3) Then the result is as follows.

Best Regards,

Neeko Tang

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