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How to find the position of a character in Excel and Google Sheets
Topic:Text manipulationExcel & Google Sheets
=FIND("-", A2)✓
Verified example
Computed by a real spreadsheet engine on the sample data below.
| Code |
| USD-100 |
=FIND("-", A2)→4
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Step by step
- 1"-" is the character to locate.
- 2A2 is the text to search.
- 3FIND returns its position (here, 4 for "USD-100").
Tips
- FIND is case-sensitive; use SEARCH for a case-insensitive match.
- Combine with LEFT (=LEFT(A2,FIND("-",A2)-1)) to grab everything before the dash.
Need it for your exact data?
Describe your columns in plain English and get the precise formula for your sheet, with the right Excel or Sheets syntax.
Frequently asked
What if the character isn't found?
FIND returns #VALUE!. Wrap it in IFERROR to return a fallback like 0.
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