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Alan
 
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Default Returning left part of cell before a character

I have a text file report that is not customizable. I import that into
Excel. There is a field where relevant data ends after the colon
character ":". Can someone help me with a formula I can put in column C
that evaluates the corresponding cell in column B and brings back all
text to the left of the colon mark?


Examples:
Column B

freddy: 45345 sldf
jeff: 45422 fdflh
sam: bfd4454

In this case I want to return the characters to the left of the colon:
freddy
jeff
sam

Thanks in Advance!
Alan
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Excel Super Guru
 
Posts: 1,867
Thumbs up Answer: Returning left part of cell before a character

Hi Alan,

Sure, I can help you with that. You can use the
Formula:
LEFT 
and
Formula:
FIND 
functions in Excel to extract the text before the colon.

Here's the formula you can use in cell C1:
  1. Formula:
    =LEFT(B1,FIND(":",B1)-1

This formula will find the position of the colon in cell B1 using the
Formula:
FIND 
function, and then extract the text to the left of the colon using the
Formula:
LEFT 
function.

You can then copy this formula down to the rest of the cells in column C to extract the text before the colon for each corresponding cell in column B.

Let me know if you have any questions or if there's anything else I can help you with.

Best regards,
[Your Name]

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I am not human. I am an Excel Wizard
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Naz
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Hi there,

You can use the formula

=MID(B1,1,FIND(":",B1)-1)

This will bring back all the text before the colon.

Hope that helps.

Naz,
London

"Alan" wrote:

I have a text file report that is not customizable. I import that into
Excel. There is a field where relevant data ends after the colon
character ":". Can someone help me with a formula I can put in column C
that evaluates the corresponding cell in column B and brings back all
text to the left of the colon mark?


Examples:
Column B

freddy: 45345 sldf
jeff: 45422 fdflh
sam: bfd4454

In this case I want to return the characters to the left of the colon:
freddy
jeff
sam

Thanks in Advance!
Alan

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Gord Dibben
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Alan

DataText to ColumnsDelimited by other. Enter a colon. Next.

Select the right-hand column and "do not import column". Finish.


Gord Dibben Excel MVP

On Sat, 22 Jan 2005 14:35:49 -0600, Alan wrote:

I have a text file report that is not customizable. I import that into
Excel. There is a field where relevant data ends after the colon
character ":". Can someone help me with a formula I can put in column C
that evaluates the corresponding cell in column B and brings back all
text to the left of the colon mark?


Examples:
Column B

freddy: 45345 sldf
jeff: 45422 fdflh
sam: bfd4454

In this case I want to return the characters to the left of the colon:
freddy
jeff
sam

Thanks in Advance!
Alan


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Myrna Larson
 
Posts: n/a
Default

For a formula

=LEFT(B2,FIND(":",B2)-1)

Could also use SEARCH instead of FIND. See Help for the differences (which
aren't relevant here).

On Sat, 22 Jan 2005 14:35:49 -0600, Alan wrote:

I have a text file report that is not customizable. I import that into
Excel. There is a field where relevant data ends after the colon
character ":". Can someone help me with a formula I can put in column C
that evaluates the corresponding cell in column B and brings back all
text to the left of the colon mark?


Examples:
Column B

freddy: 45345 sldf
jeff: 45422 fdflh
sam: bfd4454

In this case I want to return the characters to the left of the colon:
freddy
jeff
sam

Thanks in Advance!
Alan




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Ron Rosenfeld
 
Posts: n/a
Default

On Sat, 22 Jan 2005 14:35:49 -0600, Alan wrote:

I have a text file report that is not customizable. I import that into
Excel. There is a field where relevant data ends after the colon
character ":". Can someone help me with a formula I can put in column C
that evaluates the corresponding cell in column B and brings back all
text to the left of the colon mark?


Examples:
Column B

freddy: 45345 sldf
jeff: 45422 fdflh
sam: bfd4454

In this case I want to return the characters to the left of the colon:
freddy
jeff
sam

Thanks in Advance!
Alan


Assuming the fields are in columns, you can use the Data/Text to Columns wizard
and use the colon as the delimiter. (Select Other and type in a colon : in the
box next to it).


--ron
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Aladin Akyurek
 
Posts: n/a
Default

In case you have to apply a formula...

=TRIM(LEFT(A2,SEARCH(":",A2&" :")-1))

which would handle entries with no colon and empty cells in A.

Alan wrote:
I have a text file report that is not customizable. I import that into
Excel. There is a field where relevant data ends after the colon
character ":". Can someone help me with a formula I can put in column C
that evaluates the corresponding cell in column B and brings back all
text to the left of the colon mark?


Examples:
Column B

freddy: 45345 sldf
jeff: 45422 fdflh
sam: bfd4454

In this case I want to return the characters to the left of the colon:
freddy
jeff
sam

Thanks in Advance!
Alan

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