Forum Discussion
Extract first 4 digits from postcode from text column
Hi,
I have a column which has full addresses in it which due to the various ways the addresses have been handed over from the client I can't use the extract by delimiter function. I would like to create a new column which extracts the first 4 digits from the postcode. I have provided a screenshot of what it should look like. Can anyone help me please?
Thanks,
David
deefunk1981 , One way is to search position of BT and then take 4 character
mid([column], search("BT",[Column],,len([Column])), 4)
Steps to follow:
1- Create a new column (by right clicking on a table and selecting new column option) and use the calculation given by amitchandaknew_Column = mid([column1], search(" BT",[Column1],,len([Column1])), 4)
this will give you a new column with the first 4 digits of your postcode.search(" BT"...) is going to search in your text if " BT" is there. If it is there then it will take first 4 characters(for which we have used ",4" in the formula) from BT to the right including BT.
7 Replies
Steps to follow:
1- Create a new column (by right clicking on a table and selecting new column option) and use the calculation given by amitchandaknew_Column = mid([column1], search(" BT",[Column1],,len([Column1])), 4)
this will give you a new column with the first 4 digits of your postcode.search(" BT"...) is going to search in your text if " BT" is there. If it is there then it will take first 4 characters(for which we have used ",4" in the formula) from BT to the right including BT.
deefunk1981 , One way is to search position of BT and then take 4 character
mid([column], search("BT",[Column],,len([Column])), 4)
Thanks for your reply. This solution makes sense and I think it will work. However, I am unsure what process to follow to use this.
Try using this M code:
let Source = Table.FromRows(Json.Document(Binary.Decompress(Binary.FromText("bc29DoIwFIbhW/nC3IE/RUeMuqiEAMYBGRp6Io21NccS4t1rdNTxHZ68bRtsjfSIIxyI+0Fa/0DvRvYCGzVJVqg9E72zoImfAqsmmWGeFwJHqz0p7LS9KHcLOtEGSYh6IDLaopR8FdifxzCMszXx16YLLPPyr40yVG6SxjiLSgmcJDPZu9PWf64pkqb6ld0L", BinaryEncoding.Base64), Compression.Deflate)), let _t = ((type nullable text) meta [Serialized.Text = true]) in type table [project.address_full = _t]), #"Changed Type" = Table.TransformColumnTypes(Source,{{"project.address_full", type text}}), #"Duplicated Column" = Table.DuplicateColumn(#"Changed Type", "project.address_full", "project.address_full - Copy"), #"Inserted Text Before Delimiter" = Table.AddColumn(#"Duplicated Column", "Text Before Delimiter", each Text.BeforeDelimiter([#"project.address_full - Copy"], ", United Kingdom"), type text), #"Inserted Last Characters" = Table.AddColumn(#"Inserted Text Before Delimiter", "Last Characters", each Text.End([Text Before Delimiter], 8), type text), #"Inserted First Characters" = Table.AddColumn(#"Inserted Last Characters", "First Characters", each Text.Start([Last Characters], 4), type text), #"Removed Columns" = Table.RemoveColumns(#"Inserted First Characters",{"project.address_full - Copy", "Text Before Delimiter", "Last Characters"}) in #"Removed Columns"Thank you so much for all your help everyone. The solution is now working 😁
Do all the postal codes include "BT"?
Yes, all the postcodes are Northern Ireland and thankfully all start with BT which makes things a lot easier.
