Equivalent to LOOKUP Function but for a Text formated Line Item?

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Hi All, I have an Import Module which has a Number and a Text Line Item. I have created another module with the Dimensions Provided Service and Cost Centre and in the Import Module created List fomatted Line Items for those 2 Dimension. I have successfully pulled across the Number formatted Line item from the Import Module using the SUM: function. This is the formula in the target module 'Import 3 - Consumption Data'.Consumption Volume[SUM: 'Import 3 - Consumption Data'.'Provided Service - Lookup', SUM: 'Import 3 - Consumption Data'.'Cost Centre - Lookup'] I now want to do the exact same thing but returning the Text formatted line item I thought this formula would work 'Import 3 - Consumption Data'.Consumption Unit[LOOKUP:'Import 3 - Consumption Data'.'Provided Service - Lookup', LOOKUP:'Import 3 - Consumption Data'.'Cost Centre - Lookup'] but it appears LOOKUP: can only be used on Amounts and not Text is there an equivalent function for Text? Many thanks Paul

simon_ritchie

Hi Paul,

Great question. The answer is YES 

Try [FIRSTNONBLANK: ] instead of [SUM: ] when you are working with text.

As you've seen, when you are working with numbers, it's possible to , and also , , .
Because text can't be aggregated like numbers can, with text you have a couple of different options:

• FIRSTNONBLANK - grabs the first string that it finds
  
• LASTNONBLANK - returns the last string that is finds
  
• TEXTLIST - concatenates all the text that it finds with a comma (,)
  

https://community.anaplan.com/anapedia/calculation-functions/firstnonblank
https://community.anaplan.com/anapedia/calculation-functions/textlist

So I think in your case your formula would be: 

'Import 3 - Consumption Data'.Consumption Unit[FIRSTNONBLANK:'Import 3 - Consumption Data'.'Provided Service - Lookup', FIRSTNONBLANK:'Import 3 - Consumption Data'.'Cost Centre - Lookup']

Post back and let me know how you get on. 

Kind regards,
Simon