Useful SharePoint List column formulas

Here are a few useful formulas that you can easily apply to SharePoint lists to make them that much more useful

Rationale
Long forms can overwhelm users. If you have a dropdown list with an "Other" option, there is no need to display the "Please specify" text box unless the user actually selects "Other."
Plain-speak: What this means is that this hides fields unless another field is activated or has a selection that activates it.

When to use it?
Perfect for intake forms, surveys, or ticketing systems where a specific category selection requires further text elaboration.

The Formula
Apply this formula to the "Specify Other" text column, assuming your choice column is named "Category".

"Specify Other" Toggle (Choice Column Dependency)

=if([$Category] == 'Other', 'true', 'false')

Final Result
When the user opens the form, the "Specify Other" field is completely invisible. The moment they click the "Category" dropdown and select "Other," the text box instantly appears below it, prompting them to type their custom answer.

Rationale
Business rules often dictate that routine requests are approved easily, but high-value requests require extra documentation. This formula enforces business logic directly in the UI without requiring complex Power Apps customizations.

When to use it?
Ideal for expense claims, purchase requests, or travel authorizations where crossing a specific financial threshold (e.g., $1,000) means the user must provide a mandatory justification or attach a quote.

The Formula
Apply this formula to the "Justification" text column, assuming your number/currency column is named "ExpenseAmt".

"Specify Other" Toggle (Choice Column Dependency)

=if([$ExpenseAmt] >= 1000, 'true', 'false')

Final Result
A user entering a $500 expense only sees the standard fields. If a user types 1500 into the Expense Amount field, a "Justification" multi-line text box immediately appears, forcing them to explain the large purchase before saving.

Below Threshold: When entering numbers below the defined limit (e.g., an expense under $1,000), the form panel stays compact, showing only the standard inputs.
At or Above Threshold: Entering a value that meets or exceeds the formula condition triggers SharePoint's form renderer to instantly evaluate true, expanding the panel downwards to surface required follow-up fields (such as a justification box or manager approval note).
Rationale
You want the actual data saved in the database to include the prefix so it can be exported, searched, or used in Power Automate flows exactly as it appears. You achieve this by creating a separate "Calculated Column" that references the user's input.

When to use it?
Generating standardized asset tags (e.g., TSA-Laptop-01), invoice numbers, or employee IDs where the prefix is a permanent part of the record.

The Formula
If you want a hyphen or a space, you would use ="TSA-"&[YourColumnName] instead

The Calculated Column (Stores the Data)

="TSA"&[YourColumnName]

Final Result
The user enters 999 in the form. When looking at the list view, the column displays TSA999. However, if you edit the item or export the list to Excel, the underlying value is still exactly 999.
How this flows in practice:
1) Your user clicks New.
2) In the form, they only see the "Title" and "Asset Number" fields. They type 999 and hit save.
3) The form closes, returning them to this grid view. The "Full Asset Code" column automatically generates and displays TSA999 without the user ever having to type the letters themselves.