Products

LEFT function

PRO BASIC

The LEFT function in Jspreadsheet Formulas Pro is a handy tool that allows you to extract a certain number of characters from the start of a text string. Simply put, it takes the first (leftmost) characters of the text you specify. For instance, if you have a cell containing the text 'Hello World' and you use the LEFT function to get the first 5 characters, it will return 'Hello'. This can be very useful when you need to manipulate or analyze data in a specific way.

Documentation

Returns a specified number of characters from the beginning (left side) of a text string.

Category

Text

Syntax

LEFT(text, [num_chars])

Parameter Description
text The text string that contains the characters you want to extract.
[num_chars] Optional. Specifies how many characters you want LEFT to return.

Behavior

The LEFT function is designed to extract a specified number of characters from the left side of a cell's content. It is applicable to cells containing text or alphanumeric characters. Here's how it handles various inputs:

  • Text: The LEFT function works perfectly with text and returns the specified number of characters from the left.
  • Numbers: If the cell contains a numerical value, the LEFT function will treat it as text and return the specified number of digits from the left.
  • Empty cells: If the LEFT function is applied to an empty cell, it will return an empty string. If the num_chars argument is omitted, the LEFT function will return the first character of the text.
  • Booleans: If the cell contains a Boolean value (TRUE or FALSE), the LEFT function will treat it as text and return the specified number of characters from the left.
  • Errors: If the cell contains an error (like #N/A, #VALUE!, etc.), the LEFT function will return that error.

Common Errors

Error Description
#VALUE! This error occurs when the num_chars argument in the LEFT function is non-numeric.
#NUM! This error occurs when the num_chars argument in the LEFT function is less than zero.

Best Practices

  • Always ensure that the num_chars argument you provide is a non-negative number. Providing a negative number will result in a #NUM! error.
  • Use the LEFT function in conjunction with other text functions for more complicated manipulations.
  • Be mindful of the data type in the target cell. Although LEFT can handle different data types, its primary use is for text manipulation.
  • Remember that LEFT counts each character, including spaces and special characters, when determining the number of characters to return.

Usage

A few examples using the LEFT function.

LEFT('apple', 3) returns 'app'  
LEFT('banana', 2) returns 'ba'  
LEFT('cherry', 5) returns 'cherr'  

Interactive Spreadsheet Demo

<html>
<script src="https://jspreadsheet.com/v11/jspreadsheet.js"></script>
<script src="https://jsuites.net/v5/jsuites.js"></script>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://jsuites.net/v5/jsuites.css" type="text/css" />
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://jspreadsheet.com/v11/jspreadsheet.css" type="text/css" />

<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Material+Icons" />
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@jspreadsheet/formula-pro/dist/index.min.js"></script>

<div id="spreadsheet"></div>

<script>
// Set your JSS license key (The following key only works for one day)
jspreadsheet.setLicense('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');

// Set the extensions
jspreadsheet.setExtensions({ formula });

// Create a new spreadsheet
jspreadsheet(document.getElementById('spreadsheet'), {
  worksheets: [{
    data: [
    [
        "Product Code",
        "First 3 Characters",
        "First 2 Characters"
    ],
    [
        "APPLE-123",
        "=LEFT(A2,3)",
        "=LEFT(A2,2)"
    ],
    [
        "BANANA-456",
        "=LEFT(A3,3)",
        "=LEFT(A3,2)"
    ],
    [
        "CHERRY-789",
        "=LEFT(A4,3)",
        "=LEFT(A4,2)"
    ],
    [
        "GRAPE-101",
        "=LEFT(A5,3)",
        "=LEFT(A5,2)"
    ]
]
  }]
});
</script>
</html>
import React, { useRef } from "react";
import { Spreadsheet, Worksheet, jspreadsheet } from "@jspreadsheet/react";
import formula from "@jspreadsheet/formula-pro";
import "jsuites/dist/jsuites.css";
import "jspreadsheet/dist/jspreadsheet.css";

// Set license
jspreadsheet.setLicense('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');

// Set the extensions
jspreadsheet.setExtensions({ formula });

export default function App() {
    // Spreadsheet array of worksheets
    const spreadsheet = useRef();

    // Worksheet data
    const data = [
    [
        "Product Code",
        "First 3 Characters",
        "First 2 Characters"
    ],
    [
        "APPLE-123",
        "=LEFT(A2,3)",
        "=LEFT(A2,2)"
    ],
    [
        "BANANA-456",
        "=LEFT(A3,3)",
        "=LEFT(A3,2)"
    ],
    [
        "CHERRY-789",
        "=LEFT(A4,3)",
        "=LEFT(A4,2)"
    ],
    [
        "GRAPE-101",
        "=LEFT(A5,3)",
        "=LEFT(A5,2)"
    ]
];

    // Render component
    return (
        <Spreadsheet ref={spreadsheet}>
            <Worksheet data={data} />
        </Spreadsheet>
    );
}
<template>
    <Spreadsheet ref="spreadsheet">
        <Worksheet :data="data" />
    </Spreadsheet>
</template>

<script>
import { Spreadsheet, Worksheet, jspreadsheet } from "@jspreadsheet/vue";
import "jsuites/dist/jsuites.css";
import "jspreadsheet/dist/jspreadsheet.css";
import formula from "@jspreadsheet/formula-pro";

// Set license
jspreadsheet.setLicense('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');

// Set the extensions
jspreadsheet.setExtensions({ formula });

export default {
    components: {
        Spreadsheet,
        Worksheet,
    },
    data() {
        // Worksheet data
        const data = [
    [
        "Product Code",
        "First 3 Characters",
        "First 2 Characters"
    ],
    [
        "APPLE-123",
        "=LEFT(A2,3)",
        "=LEFT(A2,2)"
    ],
    [
        "BANANA-456",
        "=LEFT(A3,3)",
        "=LEFT(A3,2)"
    ],
    [
        "CHERRY-789",
        "=LEFT(A4,3)",
        "=LEFT(A4,2)"
    ],
    [
        "GRAPE-101",
        "=LEFT(A5,3)",
        "=LEFT(A5,2)"
    ]
]

        return {
            data
        };
    }
}
</script>
import { Component, ViewChild, ElementRef } from "@angular/core";
import jspreadsheet from "jspreadsheet";
import * as formula from "@jspreadsheet/formula-pro";

// Set your JSS license key (The following key only works for one day)
jspreadsheet.setLicense('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');

// Set the extensions
jspreadsheet.setExtensions({ formula });

@Component({
    standalone: true,
    selector: "app-root",
    template: `<div #spreadsheet></div>`
})
export class AppComponent {
    @ViewChild("spreadsheet") spreadsheet: ElementRef;
    // Worksheets
    worksheets: jspreadsheet.worksheetInstance[];

    // Create a new data grid
    ngAfterViewInit() {
        // Create spreadsheet
        this.worksheets = jspreadsheet(this.spreadsheet.nativeElement, {
            worksheets: [{
                data: [
    [
        "Product Code",
        "First 3 Characters",
        "First 2 Characters"
    ],
    [
        "APPLE-123",
        "=LEFT(A2,3)",
        "=LEFT(A2,2)"
    ],
    [
        "BANANA-456",
        "=LEFT(A3,3)",
        "=LEFT(A3,2)"
    ],
    [
        "CHERRY-789",
        "=LEFT(A4,3)",
        "=LEFT(A4,2)"
    ],
    [
        "GRAPE-101",
        "=LEFT(A5,3)",
        "=LEFT(A5,2)"
    ]
]
            }]
        });
    }
}