Using pandas, check a column for matching text and update new column if TRUE My objective: Using pandas, check a column for matching text [not exact] and update new column if TRUE.

From a csv file, a data frame was created and values of a particular column - COLUMN_to_Check, are checked for a matching text pattern - 'PEA'. Based on whether pattern matches, a new column on the data frame is created with YES or NO.

I have the following data in file DATA2.csv

ASSIGNMENT,Open date,Resolved date,COLUMN_to_Check,NUMBER,Open Time,RESOLVED_GROUP,RESOLVED_TIME,SUBCATEGORY
GBL_IS_GRC_PROCESSCONTROL,3/1/2017 13:39,11/1/2017 13:09,APAC_LT-ERP-FICO-BOKADABISH_PRD,IM-17-001200,3/1/2017 13:39,GBL_GSO_MQG,11/1/2017 13:09,Security (breach or weakness)
RSP_SERVICEDESK,12/1/2017 0:08,12/1/2017 0:27,APAC_LT-ERP-SALES-PEA_PRD,IM-17-006462,12/1/2017 0:08,RSP_SERVICEDESK,12/1/2017 0:27,failure
RSP_SERVICEDESK,10/1/2017 5:27,12/1/2017 0:52,APAC_LT-ERP-SUPPLY-PEA_PRD,IM-17-004667,10/1/2017 5:27,RSP_PCS_INCIDENTS,12/1/2017 0:52,failure
RSP_SERVICEDESK,12/1/2017 2:35,12/1/2017 3:03,APAC_LT-ERP-SALES-PEA_PRD,IM-17-006483,12/1/2017 2:35,RSP_SERVICEDESK,12/1/2017 3:03,access
RSP_SAP_BI,10/1/2017 21:04,12/1/2017 6:01,APAC_LT-ERP-SALES-PEA_PRD,IM-17-005498,10/1/2017 21:04,RSP_SAP_SALES,12/1/2017 6:01,SAP Sales


And using this code....

import pandas as pd

df=pd.read_csv('DATA2.csv')

Search_for_These_values = ['PEA', 'DEF', 'XYZ'] #creating list

pattern = '|'.join(Search_for_These_values)     # joining list for comparision

IScritical=df['COLUMN_to_Check'].str.contains(pattern)
for CHECK in IScritical:
    if not CHECK:
        print CHECK
        df['NEWcolumn']='NO'
    else:
        print CHECK
        df['NEWcolumn']='YES'

df.to_csv('OUPUT.csv')


Printing the value of 'CHECK' returns correct values, i.e., first row returns false.

C:\Users\ME\Documents\SandBox (master)
λ python numpytest_pub.py
False
True
True
True
True


But the output csv file shows all values of 'NEWColumn' as 'YES', where on 'NEWcolumn', row[0], value should be 'NO' as the 'COLUMN_to_Check' here should not match the pattern.

,ASSIGNMENT,Open date,Resolved date,COLUMN_to_Check,NUMBER,Open Time,RESOLVED_GROUP,RESOLVED_TIME,SUBCATEGORY,NEWcolumn
0,GBL_IS_GRC_PROCESSCONTROL,3/1/2017 13:39,11/1/2017 13:09,APAC_LT-ERP-FICO-BOKADABISH_PRD,IM-17-001200,3/1/2017 13:39,GBL_GSO_MQG,11/1/2017 13:09,Security (breach or weakness),YES
1,RSP_SERVICEDESK,12/1/2017 0:08,12/1/2017 0:27,APAC_LT-ERP-SALES-PEA_PRD,IM-17-006462,12/1/2017 0:08,RSP_SERVICEDESK,12/1/2017 0:27,failure,YES
2,RSP_SERVICEDESK,10/1/2017 5:27,12/1/2017 0:52,APAC_LT-ERP-SUPPLY-PEA_PRD,IM-17-004667,10/1/2017 5:27,RSP_PCS_INCIDENTS,12/1/2017 0:52,failure,YES
3,RSP_SERVICEDESK,12/1/2017 2:35,12/1/2017 3:03,APAC_LT-ERP-SALES-PEA_PRD,IM-17-006483,12/1/2017 2:35,RSP_SERVICEDESK,12/1/2017 3:03,access,YES
4,RSP_SAP_BI,10/1/2017 21:04,12/1/2017 6:01,APAC_LT-ERP-SALES-PEA_PRD,IM-17-005498,10/1/2017 21:04,RSP_SAP_SALES,12/1/2017 6:01,SAP Sales,YES


I can sense that something is missing in the CHECK part, but not able to figure out what. Can anyone help ? 

Let me know if the question needs rephrasing for better understanding or future community use.
You simply need to do:

df['NEWcolumn'] = df['COLUMN_to_Check'].str.contains(pattern)
df['NEWcolumn'] = df['NEWcolumn'].map({True: 'Yes', False: 'No'})