These three functions cut a piece of text out of a cell.
LEFT: characters from the start
=LEFT(A2, 3) returns the first 3 characters. For LAP-2045 it gives LAP.
RIGHT: characters from the end
=RIGHT(A2, 4) returns the last 4 characters. For LAP-2045 it gives 2045.
MID: characters from the middle
=MID(A2, start, count)
=MID(A2, 5, 2) starts at character 5 and takes 2 characters. For LAP-2045 it gives 20.
Combine with FIND and LEN
- Text before a dash:
=LEFT(A2, FIND("-", A2)-1)
- Text after a dash:
=RIGHT(A2, LEN(A2)-FIND("-", A2))
Results are text
These functions return text, even for digits. To use the result as a number, wrap it in VALUE, or multiply by 1.
In Microsoft 365, TEXTBEFORE and TEXTAFTER do the same job with less typing.
Worked example
A2 holds "INV-2026-045". =LEFT(A2,3) returns INV. =RIGHT(A2,3) returns 045. =MID(A2,5,4) returns 2026: start at character 5 and take 4.
Common mistakes
- Counting the start position from 0. It starts at 1.
- Expecting numbers back. These return text, so wrap in VALUE if needed.
- Hard-coding lengths when the text varies. Combine with FIND.
Frequently asked questions
How do I take text before a character?
=LEFT(A2,FIND("-",A2)-1).
How do I get the last word?
=TRIM(RIGHT(SUBSTITUTE(A2," ",REPT(" ",50)),50)).
What if the length is longer than the text?
You just get the whole text, with no error.
Practice this online, free
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Practice these formulas: LEFT, RIGHT, MID, LEN.
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