> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.dingtalk.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Using FIND
> 📌 More functions: see the formula function reference.
> 📌 More functions: see the [Formula function reference](/aitable/formulas/function-reference).
# 1 Basics
**FIND** searches for a value starting at a given position and returns the position of its first occurrence. Returns -1 if not found.
### Syntax
```text theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
FIND(search_value, search_range, [start_position])
```
* **search\_value**: the value to find — case-sensitive.
* **search\_range**: a value, an array, or a field — where to search.
* **start\_position**: starting position. Defaults to 1.
### Examples
\[Field 1] in the first record is **"Hello World"**.
#### Example 1: position of "World"
```text theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
FIND("World", [Field 1])
```
Result: **7** ("World" starts at position 7).
#### Example 2: search for "o" starting at position 8
```text theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
FIND("o", [Field 1], 8)
```
Result: **9** (first "o" from position 8 is at position 9).
Use **FIND** to locate substrings — handy for text processing and analysis. Note: **FIND** is case-sensitive. For case-insensitive search use **SEARCH**.
# 2 Scenario examples
### 2.1 Split by character
Field has three parts: date-location-store. Split off the date with FIND on "-":
```text title="MID([Record name],FIND(%22-%22,[Record name],1)+1,len([Record name])" theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
MID([Record name],FIND("-",[Record name],1)+1,8)
```
### 2.2 Check by character
Per requirement, product descriptions must call out allergens — use FIND to check:
```text theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
IFERROR(FIND("Allergen",[Product description],1),"Missing allergen note ❌")
```
### 2.3 Replace a substring
Replace all "taste" with "flavor" in product descriptions:
```text theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
REPLACE([Product description], FIND("taste", [Product description]), LEN("taste"), "flavor")
```