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

Get Fabric Certified for FREE during Fabric Data Days. Don't miss your chance! Request now

Reply
lcasey
Post Prodigy
Post Prodigy

Contain Function not Working

Hello,

 

Does anyone know why this formula is not working?

 

Column = IF(Contains('BSA00-RMMC','BSA00-RMMC'[DOCNUMBR],"SLS"),1,0)

 

I am simply trying to find all records with the letter SLS in it and assign the value 1. Everythiong is returned a 0 even though I have the letters SLS in records.

 

contains.png

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION
Greg_Deckler
Community Champion
Community Champion

Seems like CONTAINS is geared toward numbers and you have text. The only real reference to this in the CONTAINS description is that it references a "scalar value" to search. That means "number" to me but isn't very clear.

 

You could try this instead:

 

Column = IF(SEARCH("SLS",[Text],1,-1)=-1,0,1)


Follow on LinkedIn
@ me in replies or I'll lose your thread!!!
Instead of a Kudo, please vote for this idea
Become an expert!: Enterprise DNA
External Tools: MSHGQM
YouTube Channel!: Microsoft Hates Greg
Latest book!:
DAX For Humans

DAX is easy, CALCULATE makes DAX hard...

View solution in original post

2 REPLIES 2
Greg_Deckler
Community Champion
Community Champion

Seems like CONTAINS is geared toward numbers and you have text. The only real reference to this in the CONTAINS description is that it references a "scalar value" to search. That means "number" to me but isn't very clear.

 

You could try this instead:

 

Column = IF(SEARCH("SLS",[Text],1,-1)=-1,0,1)


Follow on LinkedIn
@ me in replies or I'll lose your thread!!!
Instead of a Kudo, please vote for this idea
Become an expert!: Enterprise DNA
External Tools: MSHGQM
YouTube Channel!: Microsoft Hates Greg
Latest book!:
DAX For Humans

DAX is easy, CALCULATE makes DAX hard...

Thanks!

 

Your right, The contains function does only work with numbers.  Your method works.

 

Thanks Again!

Helpful resources

Announcements
November Power BI Update Carousel

Power BI Monthly Update - November 2025

Check out the November 2025 Power BI update to learn about new features.

Fabric Data Days Carousel

Fabric Data Days

Advance your Data & AI career with 50 days of live learning, contests, hands-on challenges, study groups & certifications and more!

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.

Top Solution Authors