Power Query - Remove last two characters from a column

[FatherTheWizard]

Hi,

Simple question. How to remove last two characters from each field of the column, i.e. replicate Excel's LEFT("column";LEN(column)-2) in M language?

Thanks!

[stretcharm · Accepted solution]

Use Split

Right mouse on col, select split, then by char by position. Enter 2 and pick once from right. You'll get 2 columns so delete the one you don't want.

The M /Power Query code looks like this.

= Table.SplitColumn(#"Removed Columns1", "Field", Splitter.SplitTextByPositions({0, 2}, true), {"Field.1", "Field.2"})

[jthomson]

Text.Length is the M equivalent to LEN, if you use that in combination with Text.RemoveRange you should be able to do what you want

[Interkoubess · Accepted solution]

Hi @FatherTheWizard,

As explained you can use this formula in M:

Text.Start([column];Text.Length([column])-2)

That means your column is a text and it is not empty or null otherwise you need to add a condition...

Hope it helps...

Ninter

[sarverha]

@Interkoubess I stumbled across this post when trying to create a new column in power Query that remove the last digit of a string if it begins with 9.  

For example 9396920 would be 939692 but 2020010 would remain the same.  

I wrote this to identify if the column begins with 9.

Text.StartsWith([Custom],"9")

but when I try to conbine with the solution below, I get an error message.  

Text.Start([column];Text.Length([column])-2)

Help would be much appreciated.

[macmy034]

For anyone who found this and wonders why its an error; The original user uses semicolons instead of commas for formulas - Replace ; with , and it will work.

[FatherTheWizard]

Thank you for multiple helpfuö answers!

[stretcharm · Accepted solution]

Use Split

Right mouse on col, select split, then by char by position. Enter 2 and pick once from right. You'll get 2 columns so delete the one you don't want.

The M /Power Query code looks like this.

= Table.SplitColumn(#"Removed Columns1", "Field", Splitter.SplitTextByPositions({0, 2}, true), {"Field.1", "Field.2"})

[baravo]

A bit clearer explanation:

inPower Query, use Split Column by Number of Characters. Enter 2 (or the number of characters you need to split) and pick "Once, as far right as possible".

[suzannek]

Thank you for this answer. You saved me tons of time!