LEFT Function in Excel
Beginner
Returns the first character or characters in a text string, based on the number of characters you specify.
Syntax
=LEFT(text, [num_chars])Example
Use Case
Extract the area code from a phone number.
Common Errors to Avoid
- Returns #VALUE! if num_chars is negative
- Doesn't trim spaces - leading spaces are included
- Returns entire text if num_chars exceeds text length
Pro Tips
Combine with FIND or SEARCH for dynamic extraction (e.g., extract text before a specific character). Use TRIM first to remove unwanted spaces. Default num_chars is 1 if omitted.
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