Count Selected Items in MultiPicklist in Formula Field in Salesforce.com

Scenario:

• Need to capture the count of selected items in a multi-select picklist  into a field.
• Note: This will work once the user clicks save on the record.

Solution:

1. Create a formula field in the salesforce object where the multi-select picklist resides.
2. Make it a Number attribute with decimal holding of Zero
3. Give it a name
4. Click on Advance Formula
5. Two conditions we will use is 
1. INCLUDES(multiselect_picklist_field, text_literal) method
2. IF(logical_test, value_if_true, value_if_false) method
6. Let say our Multi-Select Picklist was named "Colors__c" and the values were "Red", "Green", "Blue"
7. We need to count the values that the user selected within this "Colors__c" Picklist.
8. Formula would be as follows:
1. Taking the INCLUDES(multiselect_picklist_field, text_literal) method first:
1. INCLUDES(Colors__c,'Red') <== Basically means that when the user has selected "Red" from the multi-select picklist box named "Colors__c"
2. Now place in IF Then Method:
1. IF(INCLUDES(Colors__c,'Red'),1,0) <== If(the user chooses "Red" then give the value of the field a 1 otherwise a zero.
2. Now we need to add to it so that it increments when a user selects more then 1 value from the multi-select picklist.
3. IF(INCLUDES(Colors__c,'Red'),1,0)
   + IF(INCLUDES(Colors__c,'Green'),1,0)
   + IF(INCLUDES(Colors__c,'Blue'),1,0) 
3. Click save. That is it.

Please check out the screen shots below. but please provide feedback on this:
Colors__c Field Multi-Select Picklist: (Red, Green, Blue)

No_of_Colors_Selected__c Formula Field:

Using the Field in the Object (Account in this case):<== As you can see I selected Red and Green Values from the Colors__c box.

Click Save to see if Formula Works:

No_of_Colors_Selected is 2 which is correct because I only selected Red;Green values from the Colors__c Picklist.

Thank you
Check out my Other Blogs:

VisualForce Made Easy
Data Migration Made Easy

eTechCareers.com <== Coming Soon!!!! All of your Employment needs for Information Technology and Project Management.

LINKS:

Force.com Workbook 

Force.com Platform Fundamentals