Power Apps: EndsWith Function

The EndsWith is a handy Power Apps function that checks if a text string ends with another. It returns a simple true or false, which makes it a natural fit for search boxes and validation rules.

If you've used its sibling, the StartsWith function, this one will feel instantly familiar. It works the same way, just at the other end of the string.

Let's take a look.

Usage

It follows a simple pattern.

1. Text: the text string you want to check.
2. End Text: the text string you're looking for at the end.

Here's the most basic example.

EndsWith("Hello World","World")

// Returns: true

It's simple, but you should know some things so as not to get some nasty surprises.

Edge Cases

The comparison is case insensitive

EndsWith treats uppercase and lowercase as the same, so a different case still returns true.

EndsWith("Hello World","world")

// Returns: true

Trailing spaces are not ignored

It considers the strings as is, so you should be careful with trailing spaces, which are especially easy to miss at the end of a string.

EndsWith("Hello ","Hello")

// Returns: false

To properly test, you should remove the trailing spaces. To do that you can use the Trim function, or TrimEnds if you only want to touch the ends.

// Use the Trim function to remove the spaces
EndsWith(Trim("Hello "),"Hello")

// Returns: true

It only checks the end

Don't forget that you're only checking if the string ends with another text string. If the text you're looking for is at the start or in the middle, then it always returns false.

EndsWith("Good bye","good")

// Returns: false

Comparing with an empty string returns true

You need to be aware of how it behaves when compared with an empty string. If you're comparing with a variable, this issue will be hidden, but you may have invalid results.

EndsWith("Hello","")

// Returns: true

One could argue that this should not be the case, but Microsoft defined it this way to make it easier to use inside Filter expressions, so you should be aware of it.

Limitations

There are a few things to keep in mind.

Delegation only works with some data sources

This function is only delegable if you're using text strings, and only in Dynamics 365, Common Data Services, and SQL Server. If you don't know what this is, please check my article on delegation and my reference table of the data sources where Filter will be delegable.

Localization

Formulas may have localization-based differences. With some regional settings the arguments are separated by a comma, but if you set your regional settings to Portugal, you should use a semicolon instead.

// Comma-based regional settings
EndsWith("Hello World","World")

// Semicolon-based regional settings (for example, Portugal)
EndsWith("Hello World";"World")

Recommendations

Here are some things to keep in mind.

Be careful with case

Since the comparison is case insensitive, be careful when using this function. Sometimes you would want to consider "World" and "world" different strings but, in this function, they will be the same.

Trim your input

If you're using a variable or any other data source to compare, use the Trim function to remove trailing spaces before you check.

Check the type when using variables

Always check the type of the comparison, in case you're using variables; otherwise, you may end up with errors in your Power App.

Don't nest the result

Don't try to nest because you'll get an error in the formula, since EndsWith returns a true/false, and that's not a valid string.

Final Thoughts

The EndsWith function is a simple way to check the end of a text string, but a few quirks can catch you out: the comparison ignores case, trailing spaces matter, and an empty match text always returns true. Keep those in mind and it becomes a reliable little helper in your apps.

Sources

Microsoft's EndsWith and StartsWith function reference

Back to the Power Apps Function Reference.

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash