Excel | Read up to one character

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    Welcome to Olbricht IT, your expert for everything to do with Excel and Microsoft 365! Today we’re delving into the world of Excel functions and showing you how you can easily and efficiently read text up to a certain character. Excel is a powerful tool that is used in many companies and by individuals. The ability to manipulate and analyze data makes it an indispensable tool. If you want to understand how to get the most out of Excel, you’ve come to the right place!

    Why is it important to read out texts in Excel? In our daily work with Excel, we often face the challenge of structuring and analyzing data. A common task is to separate texts using specific characters. This can be useful for a variety of applications, from data cleansing to reporting. For example, you can separate the names of customers from their email addresses in a sales database in order to carry out targeted marketing campaigns.

    In-depth: Excel functions in detail
    The “LEFT” and “FIND” functions are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to word processing in Excel. There are numerous other functions that you can use in combination with these to achieve even more precise results. These include functions such as RECHTS, TEIL and LÄNGE, which you can use to manipulate data even more specifically. By using these functions together, you can perform complex queries and data analyses.

    How does it work? With a combination of the Excel functions “LINKS” and “FIND” you can easily master this task. For example, the formula =LINKS(A1; FINDEN(" "; A1) - 1) allows you to read the text in cell A1 up to the first space. This technique can be customized to accommodate different characters and scenarios, such as reading up to the first comma or period. Effective use of these functions can save you a lot of time and increase the accuracy of your data.

    Application example

    =LINKS(A1;FINDEN(" ";A1)-1)

    In the example application above, the text in cell A1 is extracted up to the first space. This is particularly helpful if you are working with names, product codes or other data sets that are formatted in a standardized way. Another example could be that you have a list of addresses and only want to extract the city from the full address field. By understanding these formulas correctly, you can significantly improve your Excel work.

    In the example above, the text in cell A1 is extracted up to the first space. This is particularly helpful if you are working with names, product codes or other data records that are formatted in a standardized way. Let’s say you have a list of customer inquiries and only want to extract the first sentence of each inquiry. You can use the same formula to do this and increase the clarity of your data. The possibilities are endless as long as you are a little creative and master the functions of Excel.

    Excel formula example
    Excel | Read up to one character 3

    Advanced applications

    Final review
    Reading text up to a certain character in Excel is a basic skill that can help you organize and analyze your data effectively. With the right functions and techniques, you will be able to take your Excel data to a new level. It’s worth practicing regularly and learning new methods. Keep an eye out for new tips and tricks to constantly expand and deepen your Excel skills.

    Remember that the most successful Excel users not only know the functions, but also know how to combine them creatively to get the best results.

    Excel readout up to one character: This is not just a function, but one of the many ways Excel can help you optimize your daily tasks and increase your efficiency.

    The combination of “LINKS” and “FIND” is just the beginning. Here are some more application examples to take your Excel skills to the next level:

    • Separate surname and first name: Use the formula =LINKS(A1; FINDEN(" "; A1) - 1) to extract only the first name. You can use the “PART” function for the surname. For example, you can extract the individual parts from a complete list of names to create personalized letters.
    • Working with e-mail addresses: Do you only want to read the part before the “@”? Use =LINKS(A1; FINDEN("@"; A1) - 1). This is particularly useful for creating user accounts or analyzing marketing campaigns where you want to find out the domain part of the email.
    • Extracting product codes: If your data is separated by other characters, such as a hyphen or a period, simply match the character in the “FIND” function to extract specific information. For example, you can extract the product codes from a product description to list them in a report.
    • Merging data: You can also use the “LINK” function to merge data from multiple cells after you have edited them with “LEFT” or “RIGHT”. This is useful if, for example, you need to combine data from different sources to obtain a complete data set.

    Do you have a question or need support?

    Our IT support team is at your side! Whether it’s about complex formulas or optimizing your Excel spreadsheets – we can help you quickly and easily. You can contact us at any time and we guarantee a quick response. Effective support can make a big difference when using Excel, especially when you’re working on important projects.

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    Stay up to date Visit our website regularly for more tips, tricks and updates. At Olbricht IT, you are always one step ahead when it comes to Excel and IT solutions. Follow us on LinkedIn to make sure you never miss a post! We regularly publish new content to help you improve your skills and keep up with the latest developments in the Excel world. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, there’s always something new to learn.

     

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    Updated on 19. September 2025
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