using finditem when there are two of the same names in a list each with a different code

aabalos

Hi, 

 

I have a line item in this module called "TPS System Takeout" and in the column next to it "TPS Competitor Report Type Classification" i want it to find the matching name in this list "CTO Competitor Classification Types" 

You can see that RaySearch was populated because the code for RaySearch in the list is "RaySearch". Nothing else populates because I created a unique code for each classification type. My problem is that there is a MIM under TPA Category and a MIM under Velocity Category as example. They cant have the same code but it seems that the only way to find the matching type and list it in the module is if the codes are equal to what is in "TPS System Takeout" column. Is there another way to do this?

 

 

Thanks a bunch!

Amanda 

 

usman.zia

Hi @aabalos 

 

To enable the FINDITEM formula to collect and link the relationship of the data in the line item 'TPS System Takeout' it must find a match on either the code or the name of the list item within the list 'CTO Competitor Classification Types'. Since the list you're using 'CTO Competitor Classification Types' is a numbered list it is recommended to use the code to look up. So this means where you have two items with the same name display name and different codes it will only pick up both of the display names for different codes even if they are the same. However when you try to do a calculation such as sum on the display name it will consider both names as one list item as they have different codes.

 

https://help.anaplan.com/anapedia/Content/Calculation_Functions/All/FINDITEM.html

 

A workaround to this could be to create a dummy list containing all of items within the 'CTO Competitor List' without the duplicates and only single unique items that are not duplicated and list is not a numbered list. Then create a module with dimension of 'CTO Competitor List' and single line item called 'mapping' with the format of the dummy list. Then map all of the 'CTO Competitor List' items to the dummy list which contains all single items. Then in the module where you do the find item on the code for the items in the 'CTO Competitor List'. Create a new line item in the same module with the format of the dummy list that looks up at the module with the mapping to 'CTO Competitor List' against the line item in the module which is doing the find item for the items in the 'CTO Competitor List' and brings back the dummy list items. 

 

This is a potential solution however it does require manual mapping of the original list to a dummy list.

Anaplan is a very flexible tool so I'm sure there may be another approach too!

If this is not clear also please do let me know.

 

I hope this helps!

 

Thanks,

 

Usman