How do I extract text before a specific character?

You can quickly extract the text before space from the list only by using formula. Select a blank cell, and type this formula =LEFT(A1,(FIND(” “,A1,1)-1)) (A1 is the first cell of the list you want to extract text) , and press Enter button.

How do you remove the text before or after a specific character in Excel?

To eliminate text before a given character, type the character preceded by an asterisk (*char). To remove text after a certain character, type the character followed by an asterisk (char*). To delete a substring between two characters, type an asterisk surrounded by 2 characters (char*char).

How do you pull left characters in Excel?

Excel LEFT Function

1. Summary. The Excel LEFT function extracts a given number of characters from the left side of a supplied text string.
2. Extract text from the left of a string.
3. One or more characters.
4. =LEFT (text, [num_chars])
5. text – The text from which to extract characters.

How do I extract text from a specific character in Excel?

To get text following a specific character, you use a slightly different approach: get the position of the character with either SEARCH or FIND, subtract that number from the total string length returned by the LEN function, and extract that many characters from the end of the string.

How do you extract everything to the left of a specific character in a field?

Answer: Use the inStr() function to locate the first asterisk. Then use the Mid() function to grab everything to the left of the asterisk.

How do I extract text after an nth character in Excel?

EXCEL FORMULA 1. Return all characters after nth character using the MID and LEN functions. string: The string from which you want to return all of the characters from a string after the nth character. nth_char: A number which represents after which nth character you want to extract from.

How do you extract everything to the right of a specific character in a field?

Using the RIGHT, INSTR and STRREVERSE functions: right = Use this function to obtain just the right part of a string. For instance, use it to obtain the last four digits of social security numbers stored in a field. instr = The instr function returns the position of the first occurrence of one string within another.

How do you extract text after the second or nth character?

If you want to extract text after the second or nth comma character in a text string in Cell B1, you need firstly to get the position of the second or nth occurrence of the comma character in text, so you can use the SUBSTITUTE function to replace the second comma character with the hash character, then using the FIND …

What is Excel left and how to use it?

As its name suggests, the function allows you to extract a certain number of characters starting at the left side of a text string. However, Excel LEFT is capable of much more than its pure essence.

Why does the Excel left function always return text?

As you already know, the Excel LEFT function always returns text, even when you are pulling a few first digits from a number. What it means to you is that you won’t be able to use the results of your Left formulas in calculations or in other Excel functions that operate on numbers.

How to use left function in Excel to extract the initial?

Suppose, in a report; we have to give only the initial of a given name, then in this scenario, the LEFT function will help us. Step 1: We will apply the LEFT formula in cell B4. Step 2: Now, we have to enter the syntax, cell address which is A4, for which we have to extract the substring.

What is the result of the left function?

Important note! LEFT belongs to the category of Text functions, therefore the result of a Left formula is always a text string, even if the original value from which you extract characters is a number.