Extract first 4 digits from postcode from text column

[deefunk1981]

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

[amitchandak · Accepted solution]

@deefunk1981 , One way is to search position of BT and then take 4 character

mid([column], search("BT",[Column],,len([Column])), 4)

[deefunk1981]

Thank you so much for all your help everyone.  The solution is now working 😁

[PaulDBrown]

Do all the postal codes include "BT"?

[deefunk1981]

Yes, all the postcodes are Northern Ireland and thankfully all start with BT which makes things a lot easier.

[truptis · Accepted solution]

@deefunk1981 ,

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 @amitchandak 

new_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.

[PaulDBrown]

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"

[amitchandak · Accepted solution]

@deefunk1981 , One way is to search position of BT and then take 4 character

mid([column], search("BT",[Column],,len([Column])), 4)

[deefunk1981]

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.