How to Use Left Trim Function in Excel (7 Easy Ways)

Fortunately, we will discuss doing left trim in Excel using both functions and VBA. Left trim can be of various types. For example, you can remove a character from the left side of a string. On the other hand, you can also erase leading spaces (Space present on the leftmost side of a string) from a data string. In this article, I will show 7 suitable ways to use the left trim function in Excel.

Here, we have used the RIGHT function to get 4 characters from the right side. This trims the left characters automatically. We’ll demonstrate some other ways to use the left trim function in Excel.

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7 Suitable Ways to Use Left Trim Function in Excel

Often, we need to use left trim function for certain business analytics, and the process becomes more interesting with Excel. However, the task is easy and simple. But you will need an arrangement in order to perform the operation properly. For the purpose of demonstration, I have used the following sample dataset. Here, the dataset contains Product Code and we will trim Color from the code.

1. Apply RIGHT Function to Trim Left Side Characters in Excel

When we work with spreadsheets, often, we need to trim the data from the left. For instance, you have a code containing color, reference no, size, etc. and you want to separate the code according to your preference. The easiest way to trim the left portion of data is to use the RIGHT function. The RIGHT function returns the specified character from the end of the text string. For instance, we want to trim the value of Cell B5. Here are the steps required:

Steps:

• Write the following formula to separate the color from the code.

• After entering the formula, the color Blue will be separated. Use the Fill Handle (+) to copy the formula to the rest of the cells.

Read More: Trim Right Characters and Spaces in Excel (5 Ways)

2. Application of  REPLACE Function to Remove Left Side Characters in Excel

Another easy to left trim is to use the REPLACE function. Usually, REPLACE function replaces part of a text string with a different text string. However, ee have applied the function to the previous set of data and here are the steps followed:

Steps:

• Firstly, type the following Formula:

• Upon entering the formula, here is the result we got:

3. Use VBA to Trim Left Side Characters

If you do not want to use any function or formula to do the left trim, using VBA can be an option in excel. However, we have used the following steps for the VBA:

Steps:

• Following is the string we want to trim:

• First, go to the corresponding sheet. Then, right-click on the sheet name and select the View Code option to bring the VBA window.
• Now, write the following code in the Module.

Option Explicit
Sub GetString()
Dim str1 As String
str1 = "3PastelBlue"
MsgBox Right(str1, 10)
End Sub

• Finally, run the code and you’ll get the code trimmed.

4. Delete Characters from Left Using RIGHT and LEN Function

Likewise, methods mentioned above, we can remove characters from the left part of the data by using the combination of RIGHT and LEN functions. The LEN function returns the number of characters in a text string. Steps associated with this method are:

Steps: 

• At first, type the following formula.

• Finally, the output is:

5. Remove Leading Spaces Using the Combination of FIND, MID, TRIM & LEN Functions in Excel

Often, when we copy data from websites, many unnecessary spaces are also copied with the data. But, finding these spaces one by one will be time-consuming. Fortunately, there are some combinations of functions available to trim these spaces. In this method, we will use the combination of FIND, MID, TRIM & LEN functions to remove the leading space. The steps involved are:

Steps: 

• To remove the spaces, type the following formula:

• In the end, the output is:

Read More: How to Trim Spaces in Excel (8 Easiest Ways)

6. Apply Combination of REPLACE, LEFT, FIND & TRIM Excel Functions to Remove Leading Spaces

Likewise, the previous method, the combination of REPLACE, LEFT, FIND, and TRIM functions can be used to erase leading spaces. However, we have followed the below steps to complete the task:

Steps: 

• Using the abovementioned functions, type the following formula first:

• Lastly, The result is:

7. Use VBA to Remove Leading Spaces in Excel

Leading spaces can be deleted using the VBA also.

Steps:

• Firstly, select the cells with leading spaces.

• Secondly, go to the corresponding sheet, right-click on the sheet name, and select the View Code option to bring the VBA window.
• In the Module, write the following code:

Option Explicit
Sub TrimExample1()
Dim Cell As Object
Dim Rg As Range
Set Rg = Selection
For Each Cell In Rg
Cell.Value = Trim(Cell)
Next Cell
End Sub

• Lastly, run the code and get the string without leading spaces.

Conclusion

In the article, I have discussed widely used methods to trim the left characters in Excel. You can learn both about the methods related to function and VBA. Use these methods, whenever suitable, and let us know if you have any queries.

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