'TEXT()'. Expected Number, Date, DateTime, Picklist, received Lookup(User)

Question

I'm trying to create a field on the Case object that references a user lookup field on the Account object.

Using this:

Account.Customer_Success_Rep__c

Returns the correct user, but shows the Salesforce ID and I'd like the name.

My problem is that this:

TEXT(Account.Customer_Success_Rep__c)

Gives me this error:

Error: Incorrect parameter type for function 'TEXT()'. Expected Number, Date, DateTime, Picklist, received Lookup(User)

Why isn't this working? How can I get the text of the field?

Answer 1

You'd want to use the relationship instead:

Account.Customer_Success_Rep__r.FirstName & " " &
Account.Customer_Success_Rep__r.LastName 

TEXT is specifically for converting numbers, dates, and the like to strings so you can manipulate them, not for converting ID values to a label of some sort.

A field where you can select a user with the magnifying glass is not a "picklist", it is a "lookup" field.

Answer 2

Customer_Success_Rep__c field is a lookup field, you should be accessing some other field in that lookup. Try making your formula Account.Customer_Success_Rep__r.FirstName (or other field if FirstName is not what you want).

If you access the Customer_Success_Rep__c it returns the ID of the lookup object, but accessing as Customer_Success_Rep__r (with r), you get access to its fields.

You can also use the "Insert Field" helper when defining the formula instead of typing it.