Text
Modern
LEFT
Returns a given number of characters from the start of a text string.
Available in All versions
Syntax
LEFT(text, [num_chars])What it returns
The leftmost characters of the text.
Arguments
| Argument | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
text |
Yes | The text string. |
num_chars |
No | How many characters to return from the left (default 1). |
Example
I1
N2
V3
O4
I5
C6
E7
Result
INV
LEFT returns the first N characters (here 3) from the start of the text.
=LEFT(A2, 3)Important to know
num_chars defaults to 1 if omitted.
Counts characters, not words.