The FINDITEM function searches a list for a matching item using a text input. If a match is found, it returns the corresponding item from the list.
For example, you could use the FINDITEM function to determine whether an item available in one region exists in a list of items available in other regions.
Syntax
FINDITEM(List, Text)
Arguments
| Argument | Data type | Description |
| List | List | The list to search within. This is where the function looks for a match with the text input. |
| Text | Text | The text to match against the name or code of an item in the list. |
The FINDITEM function returns a result of the list data type, based on the given List argument.
Calculation engine functionality differences
In Polaris, you can't use the FINDITEM function on Time dimension. In the Classic Engine, you can.
In Polaris, you can't use this function for line items that have the Formula or Ratio summary methods. In the Classic Engine, you can.
Syntax example
FINDITEM(Country, Country text)
Constraints
Configuration of the result line item
You must set the data type of the result line item to List, configured with the same list.
Excel equivalent
Examples
Convert a Text data type to a list item
This example converts a text to a list item.
Here, the FINDITEM function takes the values of the line item Country and searches for it in the Countries list. If there's a match, it returns the corresponding list item that matches with the text in the line item Country. If you have a text value as US and you want to find the corresponding item in the list, you can use FINDITEM(Countries, "US"). This returns the list item US if it exists in the Countries list. If no match is found, no list item is returned and the result will be blank.
Source list
This is the list named Countries, as viewed from the Grid View under General lists.
| Parent | Code | |
| US | US | |
| Canada | CA | |
| Mexico | MX | |
| UK | GB | |
| France | FR | |
| Spain | ES | |
| Australia | AU | |
| India | IN | |
| Japan | JP |
Result module
The result module uses Country and Code as input values to search within the Countries list:
- Country and Code, Text data type
- Output 1 and Output 2, List data types on the Countries list
| Item 1 | Item 2 | Item 3 | Item 4 | Item 5 | Item 6 | |
| Country | US | Spain | New Zealand | Kubek | India | Alberta |
Output 1 | US | Spain | India | |||
| Code | FR | AP | IN | CA-AB | US | CA-IN |
Output 2 | France | India | US |
