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In this article
TEXTBEFORE returns everything before a delimiter; TEXTAFTER everything after. They replace most LEFT/FIND and MID/FIND combinations.
Syntax
=TEXTBEFORE(text, delimiter, [instance_num], [match_mode], [match_end], [if_not_found])| Argument | What it means |
|---|---|
instance_num |
Which occurrence; negative counts from the end. |
if_not_found |
Result when the delimiter is missing. |
Examples
Example 1
=TEXTBEFORE(A2, "@")Username from an email.
Example 2
=TEXTBEFORE(A2, " ", -1)Everything except the last word.
Example 3
=TEXTBEFORE(A2, "-", , , , A2)Whole text if there is no dash.
TEXTBEFORE in practice
Where you will use it
- Name from an email
- Code before a dash
- First word of a sentence
Worked example
| Text | Formula | Result |
|---|---|---|
| [email protected] | =TEXTBEFORE(A2,{"@","-"," "}) | ravi |
| INV-2026-145 | =TEXTBEFORE(A3,{"@","-"," "}) | INV |
| Masala tea 250g | =TEXTBEFORE(A4,{"@","-"," "}) | Masala |
Results calculated in Excel.
Mistakes people make
| Mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Missing delimiter | Use if_not_found |
| Case | match_mode 1 makes it case-insensitive |
Related functions
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📎 Practice files for this article
- 📗Practice workbook: Text & cleaning24 tasks on realistic sales data — type your formula, the Check column turns green when it is right. Answers sheet included.⬇ XLSX · 35 KB
Free to use for learning. Files with macros (.bas) are plain text — import them with Alt+F11 → File → Import File, and always test on a copy.
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