How to Use the LEFT Function in Excel (Extract Characters from the Start)

How to Use the LEFT Function in Excel (Extract Characters from the Start)

The LEFT() function extracts a specific number of characters from the beginning (left side) of a text string. It's great for cleaning or splitting data.

📘 Syntax:

=LEFT(text, num_chars)

✅ Example:

=LEFT("HR_Executive", 2)

This returns "HR" – the first 2 characters of the text.

🎯 Use Cases:

• Extract prefixes from job roles or codes
• Isolate initials or department codes
• Standardize data for filtering

⚡ Pro Tip:

Use LEFT() with FIND() for dynamic slicing based on specific characters or delimiters.

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