3 Ways To Remove Last 3 Characters In Excel

Removing the last three characters from a string of text in Excel can be a useful task when cleaning or manipulating data. There are several ways to accomplish this, each with its own set of benefits depending on the context and complexity of your data. Here, we'll explore three common methods: using the LEFT function, the LEN function, and the TEXT TO COLUMNS feature.

Method 1: Using the LEFT Function

One of the simplest and most straightforward methods to remove the last three characters from a string in Excel is by using the LEFT function. This function allows you to extract a specified number of characters from the start of a text string.

Here's how you can use it:

Assuming the text from which you want to remove the last three characters is in cell A1, you can use the formula: =LEFT(A1, LEN(A1) - 3)
The LEN function calculates the total length of the text in cell A1.
Subtracting 3 from this length gives us the number of characters we want to keep.
The LEFT function then returns this number of characters from the start of the text, effectively removing the last three characters.

Example:

Text (A1)	Formula (B1)	Result
ABCDEFG	=LEFT(A1, LEN(A1) - 3)	ABCD

Method 2: Using the LEN and RIGHT Functions

Another approach involves using a combination of the LEN and RIGHT functions. This method is useful if you prefer to think in terms of removing characters from the end of a string rather than keeping characters from the start.

Here's how you can apply it:

With the text in cell A1, the formula would be: =RIGHT(A1, LEN(A1) - 3)
However, the RIGHT function starts extracting characters from the end of the string, so we need to rethink our approach since we cannot directly specify the length of characters to remove from the end in the RIGHT function. Instead, we can combine it with the MID function to achieve the desired result, or simply use the LEFT function as described above.

Corrected Approach Using MID and LEN Functions:

The actual formula that would work for removing the last three characters involves the MID function:

=MID(A1, 1, LEN(A1) - 3)

This formula uses the MID function to extract characters from the start of the string up to the point three characters before the end.

Method 3: Using TEXT TO COLUMNS Feature

This method is more visual and interactive, using Excel's built-in "Text to Columns" feature. It's particularly useful if you need to perform this operation on a whole column of data or prefer a non-formula approach.

Here’s how to do it:

Select the entire column of text you want to modify.
Go to the "Data" tab in the ribbon.
Click on "Text to Columns".
In the dialog box, select "Delimited Text" and click "Next".
Uncheck all delimiters and click "Next".
Select the column that contains your data and click "Finish".

This method effectively converts the text into columns based on the specified delimiter, but since we're not using any delimiters, it will just split the text into separate columns based on the maximum length you can specify during the process. However, to remove the last three characters without a formula, you'd then need to manually adjust the column widths and text length in the resulting split, which isn't as direct or efficient as the formula methods for simply removing characters.

Conclusion and Best Practices

When deciding which method to use, consider the nature of your data and your personal preference. The LEFT function combined with LEN offers a straightforward solution that can be easily applied across a range of cells using auto-fill. The TEXT TO COLUMNS feature provides a non-formula approach but is less efficient for simply removing characters from the end of a string.

For most users, especially those dealing with large datasets or requiring automation, the formula method using LEFT and LEN functions will be the most efficient and practical approach to remove the last three characters in Excel.