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Takeaways
This video provides instructions on using the FIND function in Excel in conjunction with other functions like LEFT. The tutorial explains how FIND can locate the position of a specific character, such as a comma, within a text string. By understanding the position of the character, it demonstrates how to use this information, specifically in the LEFT function, to extract variable lengths of text from a cell. The primary example given illustrates how to separate and retrieve a last name from a full name where the first and last names are divided by a comma.
Mastering Excel's FIND Function
Quiz
What is the primary limitation of using only the LEFT, RIGHT, and MID functions to extract parts of text strings with varying lengths, like names?
What does the FIND function in Excel return?
Is the FIND function case-sensitive?
How do you specify the text you are looking for within the FIND function's arguments?
In the example provided, what common character is used to separate the first and last names?
Why is the FIND function combined with the LEFT function in the example provided?
Explain why subtracting "one" from the result of the FIND function is necessary when extracting the last name.
What would happen if you did not subtract "one" from the result of the FIND function when extracting the last name in the provided example?
The FIND function helps determine a dynamic number of characters for the LEFT function. Why is a dynamic number needed here?
What is the overall goal of combining the FIND and LEFT functions in this specific scenario?
Answer Key
The primary limitation is that these functions require you to specify a fixed number of characters to extract, which doesn't work for text strings of different lengths.
The FIND function returns the starting position (as a number) of a specified text string within another text string.
Yes, the FIND function is case-sensitive.
You specify the text you are looking for within the FIND function by enclosing it in double quotes.
In the example provided, the comma is the common character used to separate the first and last names.
The FIND function is combined with the LEFT function to dynamically determine how many characters to extract from the left side of the text string.
Subtracting "one" from the result of the FIND function removes the common separator character (the comma in this case) from the extracted text.
If you did not subtract "one," the common separator character would be included at the end of the extracted text.
A dynamic number is needed because the last names have different lengths, so a fixed number of characters wouldn't correctly extract all of them.
The overall goal is to accurately extract the last name from a full name by finding the position of the separator and using that to tell the LEFT function how many characters to take.
Glossary of Key Terms
FIND function: An Excel function that returns the starting position of one text string within another text string. It is case-sensitive.
LEFT function: An Excel function that returns a specified number of characters from the beginning of a text string.
RIGHT function: An Excel function that returns a specified number of characters from the end of a text string.
MID function: An Excel function that returns a specified number of characters from a text string, starting from a specified position.
Text string: A sequence of characters, such as letters, numbers, and symbols.
Case-sensitive: Distinguishing between uppercase and lowercase letters.
Separator character: A common character (like a comma, space, or period) that divides different parts of a text string.
Dynamic: Referring to a value that is not fixed but can change or be calculated based on other factors.
