# LEFT

## Content

This function returns the specified leftmost characters from a text value.

## Syntax

`LEFT(mytext, num_chars)`

## Arguments

This function has these arguments:

| Argument | Description |
| -------- | ----------- |
| *mytext* | Text string that contains the characters you want to extract. |
| *num\_chars* | [Optional] Number of characters to extract; if omitted, uses one; if not an integer, the number is truncated |

The *mytext* argument can be a string, a formula that returns a string, or a reference to a cell containing a string.

The *num\_chars* argument has these rules:

* It must be greater than or equal to zero.
* If it is greater than the length of text, this function returns all the text.

## Data Types

Accepts string data for the first argument and numeric data the second argument. Returns string data.

## Examples

`LEFT(A2,LEN(A2)–1)`
`LEFT(R2C1,LEN(R2C1)–1)`
`LEFT(""TotalPrice"")` gives the result T
`LEFT(""Total Price"", 5)` gives the result Total