Tip #1449: Formula columns love calculated columns

Formula columns are great, just read Work with Dataverse formula columns. But there are some limitations in the Power Fx functions you can use, as well as with the return types..

  • Need a formula column returning a whole number? Make it a decimal with 0 precision.
  • Need to produce currency? Make a formula to return a decimal, then convert it to currency using the good old calculated column where you can define the return data type instead of inferring.
  • Need a choice? Your choice can only be either yes or no. But the same trick applies. Do your magic in a formula column, then create a calculated column and go through the painful if-then-else process ad nauseam to cover all possible return values. To be honest, I’d rather eat a frog and write a plugin.
Witch Mountain meme with the following dialog:

two characters in a car having a technical discussion, which could be imagined as:

Character 1 (top panel, speaking seriously): “Our Dataverse telemetry indicates formula columns aren’t being leveraged for generating monetary returns.”

Character 2 (middle panel, with a questioning expression): “Maybe it’s because currency formula columns can’t be produced?”

Character 1 (bottom panel, looking puzzled or skeptical): [No text, just the character's reaction]

Personally, I think it’s all because, ironically, Power Fx in formula columns does not support Power function. Source: trust me, dude.