SQL Essentials: LENGTH Function Explained

Overview

The LENGTH function in NetSuite's Saved Search SQL is a powerful tool to determine the character length of a text string. It returns the total number of characters, including spaces, in a given text field.

In simpler terms, it's like asking, "How many letters or characters are there in this sentence?" The LENGTH function counts them all, even the spaces between words.

Understanding the Syntax

The basic syntax for the LENGTH function is as follows:

LENGTH(text)

Here, 'text' represents the expression or text/string field that you want to analyze.

For example:
Imagine you're managing a Customer search and want to identify customers with unusually long or short names, which could indicate potential data entry errors. You want to find customers whose names are shorter than 5 characters or longer than 50 characters.