How to Use LEFT to Extract Text Before Space in Excel

Using the LEFT function in Excel, you can extract text before the space in a given cell. The LEFT function returns a specified number of characters from the start of a text string. To extract text before the space, you need to determine the position of the space using the FIND function.

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to use the LEFT function to extract text before space in Excel:

1. Assuming you have the text in cell A1, from which you want to extract text before the space.
2. In cell B1, enter the following formula to find the position of the space in the text:

=FIND(" ", A1)

This will return the position of the space in the text string.

3. In cell C1, enter the following formula to extract text before the space using the LEFT function:

=LEFT(A1, B1-1)

This formula will return the text before the space in cell A1.

4. Drag the formula down to apply it to other cells if needed.

Example

Let's assume you have the following text in cell A1: "John Doe"

1. In cell B1, enter the formula to find the position of the space:

=FIND(" ", A1)

This will return the value 5, as the space is at the 5th position in the text string.

2. In cell C1, enter the formula to extract text before the space:

=LEFT(A1, B1-1)

This will return the value "John", which is the text before the space in cell A1.