Advanced Excel Statistical - LEFT Function

Description

LEFT returns the first character or characters in a text string, based on the number of characters you specify.

LEFTB returns the first character or characters in a text string, based on the number of bytes you specify. It counts 2 bytes per character only when a DBCS language is set as the default language. Otherwise LEFTB behaves the same as LEFT, counting 1 byte per character.

The languages that support DBCS include Japanese, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), and Korean.

Syntax

LEFT (text, [num_chars]) 
LEFTB (text, [num_bytes])

Arguments

Argument	Description	Required/ Optional
Text	The text string that contains the characters you want to extract.	Required
Num_chars	Specifies the number of characters you want LEFT to extract. Num_chars must be greater than or equal to zero. If num_chars is greater than the length of text, LEFT returns all of text. If num_chars is omitted, it is assumed to be 0.	Optional
Num_bytes	Specifies the number of characters you want LEFTB to extract, based on bytes.	Optional

Argument

Description

Required/ Optional

Text

The text string that contains the characters you want to extract.

Required

Num_chars

Specifies the number of characters you want LEFT to extract.

Num_chars must be greater than or equal to zero.

If num_chars is greater than the length of text, LEFT returns all of text.

If num_chars is omitted, it is assumed to be 0.

Optional

Num_bytes

Specifies the number of characters you want LEFTB to extract, based on bytes.

Optional

Notes

If num_chars is < 0, LEFT returns #VALUE! error value.

Applicability

Excel 2007, Excel 2010, Excel 2013, Excel 2016

Example

advanced_excel_statistical_functions.htm