The LEFT function in Excel is a powerful tool for extracting substrings from a given string, starting from the leftmost character. This function is particularly useful when you need to isolate specific portions of text from a larger string.
To use the Excel LEFT function, you need to specify two arguments: the cell reference or text string from which you want to extract the substring, and the number of characters you want to extract from the left side of the string.
By using the LEFT function, you can quickly and efficiently extract substrings from your data, enabling you to manipulate and analyze text-based information more effectively in your Excel worksheets.
In summary, this function is a valuable tool for working with text data, allowing you to extract specific substrings based on their position within a larger string. By mastering this function, you can enhance your ability to manipulate and analyze text-based data in Excel.
Excel LEFT Function: Supported versions
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All Excel versions
Excel LEFT Function: Syntax
=LEFT(text, num_chars)
Where:
- text is the cell reference or text string containing the original text.
- num_chars is the number of characters you want to extract from the left side of the text.
Here's an example of how you might use the LEFT function in Excel:
=LEFT(A2, 5)
In this example, A2 is the cell reference containing the original product code, and 5 is the number of characters you want to extract from the left side of the code.
Arguments
| text | The text that contains the sub-string you want to extract. |
| [num_chars] | Optional. The number of characters you want to extract. |
Examples
Let's have a look at examples for LEFT function.
For example, suppose you have a list of product codes in column A, and each code consists of a unique identifier followed by a series of numbers. If you want to extract the unique identifier from each code, you can use the LEFT function to do so.
Example 1
Example 2
