Counting # of characters before a certain character

[NickPro72]

Here is my example:

1 - fksdlafjd
2 - dklsafj
3 - lkdfjad
.......
.....
10 - salkjdfjdsl
11 - dklsafjsdj;lfdf

I am trying to grab the beginning # and put it in a different cell. This is
the formula that I am trying: =value(left(cell_ref,??????)). This is not
working for me. Any other ideas?

 

[PCLIVE]

Maybe something like this:

=LEFT(A1,FIND(" ",A1)-1)*1

This assumes that the number is always followed by a space and there are no
spaces before the number.

HTH,
Paul

 

[Mike H]

Try this

=TRIM(LEFT(A1,FIND("-",A1,1)-1))

Drag down.

Mike

 

[John C]

=VALUE(LEFT(A1,FIND("-",A1)-1))

 

[NickPro72]

Thank you so much to both of you. That helped out tremendously.