Excel LEFT Function

Microsoft Excel makes our lives easier by the minute with all these little formulas that get the job done at once. Have you ever wondered if there is any such formula in Excel that lets you extract characters from a word?

Well, if your answer is yes, then mine is too. The LEFT Excel formula is just what you’ve been looking for.

What is the LEFT function in Excel?

In our daily lives, “left” is just another direction. Now, it could be the direction you need to start uncovering the efficient string formulas in Excel. The Excel LEFT function is one such feature that allows you to extract a specific number of characters from the left side of the selected string value.

If you do not provide the number of characters explicitly, it is assumed to be 1 by default. In that case, the syntax will return the first letter of the string value.

What is LEFT Excel formula?

Source: Corporate Finance Institue

The LEFT formula in Excel is quite simple to use. It can be clubbed with various other features, but independently =LEFT is the correct syntax. The LEFT formula accepts the following types of parameters:

1. Cell reference numbers
2. “x”, where x is the position/number of characters you want to extract

Now, in case you want to:

• Extract characters from one single cell, the formula would be =LEFT(cell number).
• Extract characters from a range of different cells, the formula you would use is =LEFT(starting range cell number: ending range cell number).
• Extract a defined number of characters from the string, you would need the formula =LEFT(start cell: end cell, x).
  

Combining LEFT with other functions

The LEFT function can be used independently, as I have previously shown. Now, combining the Excel LEFT function with other functions allows for more efficient text manipulation and extraction tasks. Here are some common combinations and examples of how to use LEFT with other functions:

• Using LEFT with LEN (Length):

The LEN function calculates the length of a text string. Combining LEFT with LEN allows you to dynamically extract a specified number of characters from the left side of a text string based on its length.

=LEFT(A1, LEN(A1) 3)

This formula extracts all but the last 3 characters from cell A1.

• Combining LEFT with FIND or SEARCH:

The FIND and SEARCH functions locate a specific substring within a text string. By combining LEFT with FIND or SEARCH, you can extract characters up to a certain delimiter or character.

=LEFT(A1, FIND(" ", A1) 1)

This formula extracts text from cell A1 until the first space character.

• Using LEFT with VALUE (Convert Text to Number):

The VALUE function converts a text string representing a number into a numeric value. This combination is useful for extracting numeric values embedded within text strings.

=VALUE(LEFT(A1, 3))

This formula extracts the first 3 characters from cell A1 and converts them into a numeric value.

• Combining LEFT with IF (Conditional Statement):

You can use LEFT within an IF statement to conditionally extract characters based on specific criteria.

=IF(LEN(A1) > 5, LEFT(A1, 5), A1)

This formula extracts the first 5 characters from cell A1 if the text is longer than 5; otherwise, it returns the original text.

• Using LEFT with CONCATENATE or & (Concatenation):

Combining LEFT with CONCATENATE or the concatenation operator (&) allows you to merge extracted text with other strings or cell values.

=LEFT(A1, 3) & "..."

This formula extracts the first 3 characters from cell A1 and appends "..." to the result.

Where to Find the LEFT Function in Excel

To use the LEFT Excel formula, you can insert it directly into a cell to extract a specified number of characters from the beginning of a text string, which is what I do since it is relatively easier. Alternatively, you can access the Excel LEFT function through the Excel menu by navigating to the "Formulas" tab, selecting "Text," and then choosing "LEFT."

This opens a dialog box where you can input the text string and specify the number of characters to extract. The result will appear directly in the cell, providing a quick and efficient way to manipulate text data within your spreadsheet.

Comparing LEFT with similar functions

Here's a comparison of LEFT with similar text manipulation functions, MID and RIGHT and LEFT RIGHT formula in Excel with example:

1. LEFT Function:

Purpose: Extracts a specified number of characters from the left side of a text string.

Syntax: =LEFT(text, num_chars)

2. MID Function:

Purpose: Extracts a specific number of characters from any position within a text string.

Syntax: =MID(text, start_num, num_chars)

3. RIGHT Function:

Purpose: Extracts a specified number of characters from the right side of a text string.

Syntax: =RIGHT(text, num_chars)

Comparison

Use Cases for Excel LEFT function

The versatility of the LEFT function in Excel is evident when you use it for various data manipulation tasks. Following are a few use cases and Excel LEFT function example for your understanding:

1. Extracting initials

The LEFT function can easily be used to extract initials from a proper noun, as I have shown in the examples above. This can be useful to create personalized reports or analyses based on individual identifiers.

2. Extracting fixed-length substrings

The most popular and discussed function of the LEFT function is extracting a fixed number of characters from the beginning of a text string. This allows you to isolate and analyze specific identifiers or categories efficiently.

3. Extracting prefixes or codes

Source: ExcelTrick.com

Another interesting use case for the Excel LEFT function is that it allows you to extract prefixes or codes in Excel. This allows for streamlined data processing, enabling you to focus on key identifiers within structured text data for analysis or categorization.

4. Cleaning data

With the LEFT function, we can easily remove unwanted characters or prefixes. This enhances data cleanliness, ensuring uniformity and consistency in text-based or string datasets.

5. Formatting data

Excel LEFT function can be instrumental in standardizing data formats by extracting specific components like names, surnames, area codes, etc. You can even club them together as needed, thus facilitating sorting or formatting tasks.

6. Extracting dates or times

Extracting components such as years or months from date strings using LEFT supports time-based analysis and reporting, enabling trend analysis or historical comparisons.

Wrapping Up

Extracting characters with the help of Excel LEFT function gets easier with practice. Now, you might ask yourself, what is the benefit of extracting these characters using a function when it can be done manually? Well, Excel, with practice, will yield results faster than manual calculations and thus increase your efficiency.

If you are looking to improve your Excel skills and impress your boss, consider practicing these formulas with varied functions every day. If you are eager to become a master in Data Science, consider taking an online accredited course from upGrad.

FAQs

1. How do I use the LEFT function in Excel?

You can use the LEFT function in Excel with several formulas. All the formulas have been highlighted and explained in detail in this tutorial.

2. How do I extract 4 characters from left in Excel?

This is a simple function to perform. Just substitute the value of the cell range or cell number as required and the number of characters as 4. Suppose, you want to extract the 4 characters from cell E2 through E8, the formula would be =LEFT(E2:E8, 4).

3. What is the LEFT TRIM function in Excel?

The LEFT TRIM function in Excel is used to remove all leading spaces from the left side of a selected string value or set of values.

4. What is the formula for the left word in Excel?

To extract the left word in Excel use the LEFT formula as follows =LEFT(cell reference range/number, number of characters to be extracted).

5. How do you sum LEFT in Excel?

To sum values extracted from the left of text strings in Excel, you can use a combination of LEFT and VALUE functions within a SUM formula parenthesis. Extract the numeric portion with LEFT, convert it to a number using VALUE, and then sum these values together using SUM.

6. How do I remove 3 characters from left in Excel?

To perform this function with the help of LEFT function would be a little difficult. Instead you can use the RIGHT function in Excel combined with the LEN function in the following format =RIGHT(cell reference number, LEN(cell reference number) 3).

7. How do you use LEFT to RIGHT in Excel?

In Excel, use the LEFT function to extract characters from the left side of a text string by specifying the cell reference and the number of characters. For extracting characters from the right side, employ the RIGHT function similarly.