Given that you have a list of names & surnames in a data range and your task is to extract the first letter of the names as the initial. By using the LEFT text function this supposedly complex task can be executed in one simple step and in no time at all. The steps below explain how that can be done.
Applies To: Excel 2003, 2007, 2010:
1. Refer to the data given below
2. Select cell B2 and enter the following formula: =LEFT(A2,1)
3. Press enter and copy the formula down
The first letter of the names will be extracted as the intial.In this way one can avoid the watseful and inefficient method of retyping the initials.
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