Uploaded October 2022 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
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Are you struggling with inconsistent data in Excel? In this guide, we master TEXTBEFORE and TEXTAFTER—the modern alternatives to complex LEFT, FIND, and LEN formulas.
Whether you’re splitting names with multiple prefixes, separating product IDs, or cleaning messy data, these functions make text manipulation effortless.
⬇️ DOWNLOAD the free workbook here: xelplus.com/excel-textbefore-textafter/#download
Learn the "Right-to-Left" search trick using the -1 instance argument and discover how to handle errors automatically using the match_to_end and if_not_found settings.
00:00 Modern Excel: Why TEXTBEFORE & TEXTAFTER Beat LEFT/FIND
01:03 TEXTBEFORE Formula: How to Define Text and Delimiters
01:53 Handling Multiple Delimiters: Extract the 2nd Word or Prefix
02:35 Using Match to End to Prevent Errors When Delimiters are Missing
03:32 How to Replace #N/A Errors with Blank Cells Using If_Not_Found
04:02 The "-1" Trick: Extract the Last Word or Suffix (Search Backward)
05:35 TEXTAFTER Guide: Separate Names and IDs from Complex Strings
06:14 Case Sensitivity and Match Mode Logic for Inconsistent Data
07:05 Best Practices: Replacing Legacy LEFT, FIND, and LEN Formulas
Key Highlights:
TEXTBEFORE: Extracts text before a specified delimiter, and you can customize the instance number, match mode, and result if not found.
TEXTAFTER: Retrieves text after a designated delimiter, offering similar options for customization.
Bonus Trick: Learn how to efficiently extract text in reverse order by using negative instance numbers and match to end, making it dynamic and flexible.
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🎬 LINKS to related videos:
- New Excel TEXTSPLIT Function to Separate words with Ease: youtu.be/xcVLWyEJHwY
- Breaking News! We FINALLY get the Excel functions we've been Wanting: youtu.be/VWcLM6_Q_00
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🎓 Not sure which of my Excel courses fits best for you? Take the quiz: xelplus.com/course-quiz
🎥 RESOURCES I recommend: xelplus.com/resources
🚩Let’s connect on social:
Instagram: instagram.com/lgharani
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/xelplus
This description contains affiliate links, which means at no additional cost to you, we will receive a small commission if you make a purchase using the links. This helps support the channel and allows us to continue to make videos like this. Thank you for your support!
#Excel
Join 500,000+ professionals in our courses here 👉 link.xelplus.com/yt-d-all-courses
Are you struggling with inconsistent data in Excel? In this guide, we master TEXTBEFORE and TEXTAFTER—the modern alternatives to complex LEFT, FIND, and LEN formulas.
Whether you’re splitting names with multiple prefixes, separating product IDs, or cleaning messy data, these functions make text manipulation effortless.
⬇️ DOWNLOAD the free workbook here: xelplus.com/excel-textbefore-textafter/#download
Learn the "Right-to-Left" search trick using the -1 instance argument and discover how to handle errors automatically using the match_to_end and if_not_found settings.
00:00 Modern Excel: Why TEXTBEFORE & TEXTAFTER Beat LEFT/FIND
01:03 TEXTBEFORE Formula: How to Define Text and Delimiters
01:53 Handling Multiple Delimiters: Extract the 2nd Word or Prefix
02:35 Using Match to End to Prevent Errors When Delimiters are Missing
03:32 How to Replace #N/A Errors with Blank Cells Using If_Not_Found
04:02 The "-1" Trick: Extract the Last Word or Suffix (Search Backward)
05:35 TEXTAFTER Guide: Separate Names and IDs from Complex Strings
06:14 Case Sensitivity and Match Mode Logic for Inconsistent Data
07:05 Best Practices: Replacing Legacy LEFT, FIND, and LEN Formulas
Key Highlights:
TEXTBEFORE: Extracts text before a specified delimiter, and you can customize the instance number, match mode, and result if not found.
TEXTAFTER: Retrieves text after a designated delimiter, offering similar options for customization.
Bonus Trick: Learn how to efficiently extract text in reverse order by using negative instance numbers and match to end, making it dynamic and flexible.
🌍 My Online Courses ► xelplus.com/courses
🎬 LINKS to related videos:
- New Excel TEXTSPLIT Function to Separate words with Ease: youtu.be/xcVLWyEJHwY
- Breaking News! We FINALLY get the Excel functions we've been Wanting: youtu.be/VWcLM6_Q_00
➡️ Join this channel to get access to perks: youtube.com/channel/UCJtUOos_MwJa_Ewii-R3cJA/join
👕☕ Get the Official XelPlus MERCH: xelplus.creator-spring.com
🎓 Not sure which of my Excel courses fits best for you? Take the quiz: xelplus.com/course-quiz
🎥 RESOURCES I recommend: xelplus.com/resources
🚩Let’s connect on social:
Instagram: instagram.com/lgharani
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/xelplus
This description contains affiliate links, which means at no additional cost to you, we will receive a small commission if you make a purchase using the links. This helps support the channel and allows us to continue to make videos like this. Thank you for your support!
#Excel
