How to use LEFT in Excel
The first characters of a text.
Syntax
textText or a cell[num_chars]How many characters optionalExample
Here’s LEFT on a small table of orders. The highlighted cells are the ones the formula reads.
=LEFT(B4,1)Edit this formula live Change the ranges and watch the answer update. Free, no sign-up.
Common mistakes with LEFT
The result is text
LEFT("2026-11",4) gives the text "2026". Wrap in VALUE if you need a number.
Variable-length text needs FIND
To take everything before a space, use LEFT(A2,FIND(" ",A2)-1).
What the error messages mean
Type these slips into Gridwise and this is the feedback you get:
Leaving off the closing bracket
=LEFT(B4,1
Parentheses don’t match. You have 1 opening and 0 closing parentheses. Every ( needs a ).
Questions
What does the LEFT function do in Excel?
The first characters of a text. The syntax is LEFT(text, [num_chars]).
Why is my LEFT formula giving the wrong answer?
The result is text: LEFT("2026-11",4) gives the text "2026". Wrap in VALUE if you need a number. Variable-length text needs FIND: To take everything before a space, use LEFT(A2,FIND(" ",A2)-1).
Does LEFT work in Google Sheets?
Most Excel functions, including the core ones on this page, work the same way in Google Sheets. A few newer functions arrived in Sheets later or behave slightly differently, so test it on your own data.