Column validation that checks if a column contains a backslash (\)

Pontus Byqvist 0

Is there any way that you can add a column validation that checks if a column contains a backslash character or not? The thing is that I use the following values for a specific column:

[domain][backslash][user ID] (for example, US\ABC123)

I want to make sure that the domain and the backslash is entered and not only the user ID. The thing is that the domain varies between 2-4 letters and the user ID is not always the same amount of letters either. How do you best go about creating a column validation in this case?

1 answer

AllenXu-MSFT 20,966 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2024-03-05T09:04:13.6933333+00:00

Hi @Pontus Byqvist,

Apply this formula to the column:

=AND(FIND("\",[ColumnName])>=3,FIND("\",[ColumnName])<=5)

This formula means that the input text should contain "" and the number of characters before "" should be between 2 and 4.

Test result:

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Pontus Byqvist 0 Reputation points

2024-03-07T13:06:08.17+00:00

It does look like a promising solution, however when I try it I get the error message: "The formula contains a syntax error or is not supported."

The column name is Alias, so it should work like this, right?

Pontus Byqvist 0 Reputation points

2024-03-07T13:06:40.0033333+00:00

AllenXu-MSFT 20,966 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2024-03-08T01:47:11.9833333+00:00

@Pontus Byqvist,

Thanks for your reply. Is this a text type column?

AllenXu-MSFT 20,966 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2024-03-11T05:30:05.3533333+00:00

@Pontus Byqvist,

Is there any update in this case? Please let us know if you still have any questions or there is any progress.

Pontus Byqvist 0 Reputation points

2024-03-11T14:59:05.36+00:00

Yes, the column is of the type "Single line of text".

AllenXu-MSFT 20,966 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2024-03-12T02:32:50.64+00:00

@Pontus Byqvist,

That's wired. I created a text column, named it "Alias" and applied the below formula to it. It works perfectly in my environment.

=AND(FIND("\",Alias)>=3,FIND("\",Alias)<=5)

If you created a new text column in that list, would this issue disappear?

Pontus Byqvist 0 Reputation points

2024-03-14T13:14:37.1866667+00:00

Strange! I did use square brackets on Alias before, which might have been wrong. I removed them now but still the same error. I will paste the entire settings I use, so you can see if you are able to replicate the error.

AllenXu-MSFT 20,966 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2024-03-19T02:25:34.7766667+00:00

@Pontus Byqvist,

No difference between us...

I tried the formula in multiple lists but couldn't reproduce this in my site.

Pontus Byqvist 0 Reputation points

2024-03-19T08:26:22.55+00:00

Just throwing things out there: the list I am trying to do the change for was migrated from SharePoint 2013. It is also an "issue list" (number two in the picture below). Could this be relevant in this case?

Pontus Byqvist 0 Reputation points

2024-03-28T06:53:56.9533333+00:00

@AllenXu-MSFT Please see my previous comment. Thank you!

AllenXu-MSFT 20,966 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2024-03-29T07:18:34.8866667+00:00

@Pontus Byqvist,

Sorry for my late response. From the context you provide, migration may cause this issue. You said that this issue also occurs even in a new created list, was this SharePoint site also migrated from SharePoint Server 2013?

Pontus Byqvist 0 Reputation points

2024-04-02T11:51:09.7266667+00:00

@AllenXu-MSFT Yes, the same issue happens in both a migrated list (from SharePoint 2013) and a non-migrated list (created in SharePoint Online). Strange...

Pontus Byqvist 0 Reputation points

2024-04-02T11:52:41.4666667+00:00

[removed]

Pontus Byqvist 0 Reputation points

2024-04-15T13:27:20.4833333+00:00

@AllenXu-MSFT Do you have any other thoughts on this or do you think we should give up?
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Column validation that checks if a column contains a backslash (\)

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