Truncating a columns worth of cells not just a single cell.

If I have a "column A" containing +5000 entries, with each cell being a name, how do I create a "column B" next to it with each cell being the first initial of the name in "column A"?

I know I can use the "LEFT" function in the forumla bar to convert a single cell, but I don't know how to apply it to a column with a cell range so I dont' have to do this +5000 times, and worse - on about 113 different spreadsheets.

I tried clicking on "Column B" and entering LEFT(A1:A5231) after the "=" sign in the formula bar, but as soon as I typed the colon it said invalid character. It was acting like I couldn't use this to create a formula for the column.

I'm sure there is a way to do this for a column if there is a function that will do this for a cell.

Please help.

Hi,

In Column B , you should use =LEFT(A1,1) and copy it down to all the
values in column A.

Regards

Govind.

rebates wrote:
> If I have a "column A" containing +5000 entries, with each cell being a
> name, how do I create a "column B" next to it with each cell being the
> first initial of the name in "column A"?
>
> I know I can use the "LEFT" function in the forumla bar to convert a
> single cell, but I don't know how to apply it to a column with a cell
> range so I dont' have to do this +5000 times, and worse - on about 113
> different spreadsheets.
>
> I tried clicking on "Column B" and entering LEFT(A1:A5231) after the
> "=" sign in the formula bar, but as soon as I typed the colon it said
> invalid character. It was acting like I couldn't use this to create a
> formula for the column.
>
> I'm sure there is a way to do this for a column if there is a function
> that will do this for a cell.
>
> Please help.
>
>

Hi,

In Column B , you should use =LEFT(A1,1) and copy it down to all the
values in column A.

Regards

Govind.

rebates wrote:
> If I have a "column A" containing +5000 entries, with each cell being a
> name, how do I create a "column B" next to it with each cell being the
> first initial of the name in "column A"?
>
> I know I can use the "LEFT" function in the forumla bar to convert a
> single cell, but I don't know how to apply it to a column with a cell
> range so I dont' have to do this +5000 times, and worse - on about 113
> different spreadsheets.
>
> I tried clicking on "Column B" and entering LEFT(A1:A5231) after the
> "=" sign in the formula bar, but as soon as I typed the colon it said
> invalid character. It was acting like I couldn't use this to create a
> formula for the column.
>
> I'm sure there is a way to do this for a column if there is a function
> that will do this for a cell.
>
> Please help.
>
>

Hi,

In Column B , you should use =LEFT(A1,1) and copy it down to all the
values in column A.

Regards

Govind.

rebates wrote:
> If I have a "column A" containing +5000 entries, with each cell being a
> name, how do I create a "column B" next to it with each cell being the
> first initial of the name in "column A"?
>
> I know I can use the "LEFT" function in the forumla bar to convert a
> single cell, but I don't know how to apply it to a column with a cell
> range so I dont' have to do this +5000 times, and worse - on about 113
> different spreadsheets.
>
> I tried clicking on "Column B" and entering LEFT(A1:A5231) after the
> "=" sign in the formula bar, but as soon as I typed the colon it said
> invalid character. It was acting like I couldn't use this to create a
> formula for the column.
>
> I'm sure there is a way to do this for a column if there is a function
> that will do this for a cell.
>
> Please help.
>
>

Hi,

In Column B , you should use =LEFT(A1,1) and copy it down to all the
values in column A.

Regards

Govind.

rebates wrote:
> If I have a "column A" containing +5000 entries, with each cell being a
> name, how do I create a "column B" next to it with each cell being the
> first initial of the name in "column A"?
>
> I know I can use the "LEFT" function in the forumla bar to convert a
> single cell, but I don't know how to apply it to a column with a cell
> range so I dont' have to do this +5000 times, and worse - on about 113
> different spreadsheets.
>
> I tried clicking on "Column B" and entering LEFT(A1:A5231) after the
> "=" sign in the formula bar, but as soon as I typed the colon it said
> invalid character. It was acting like I couldn't use this to create a
> formula for the column.
>
> I'm sure there is a way to do this for a column if there is a function
> that will do this for a cell.
>
> Please help.
>
>

Hi,

In Column B , you should use =LEFT(A1,1) and copy it down to all the
values in column A.

Regards

Govind.

rebates wrote:
> If I have a "column A" containing +5000 entries, with each cell being a
> name, how do I create a "column B" next to it with each cell being the
> first initial of the name in "column A"?
>
> I know I can use the "LEFT" function in the forumla bar to convert a
> single cell, but I don't know how to apply it to a column with a cell
> range so I dont' have to do this +5000 times, and worse - on about 113
> different spreadsheets.
>
> I tried clicking on "Column B" and entering LEFT(A1:A5231) after the
> "=" sign in the formula bar, but as soon as I typed the colon it said
> invalid character. It was acting like I couldn't use this to create a
> formula for the column.
>
> I'm sure there is a way to do this for a column if there is a function
> that will do this for a cell.
>
> Please help.
>
>

Hi,

In Column B , you should use =LEFT(A1,1) and copy it down to all the
values in column A.

Regards

Govind.

rebates wrote:
> If I have a "column A" containing +5000 entries, with each cell being a
> name, how do I create a "column B" next to it with each cell being the
> first initial of the name in "column A"?
>
> I know I can use the "LEFT" function in the forumla bar to convert a
> single cell, but I don't know how to apply it to a column with a cell
> range so I dont' have to do this +5000 times, and worse - on about 113
> different spreadsheets.
>
> I tried clicking on "Column B" and entering LEFT(A1:A5231) after the
> "=" sign in the formula bar, but as soon as I typed the colon it said
> invalid character. It was acting like I couldn't use this to create a
> formula for the column.
>
> I'm sure there is a way to do this for a column if there is a function
> that will do this for a cell.
>
> Please help.
>
>

Hi,

In Column B , you should use =LEFT(A1,1) and copy it down to all the
values in column A.

Regards

Govind.

rebates wrote:
> If I have a "column A" containing +5000 entries, with each cell being a
> name, how do I create a "column B" next to it with each cell being the
> first initial of the name in "column A"?
>
> I know I can use the "LEFT" function in the forumla bar to convert a
> single cell, but I don't know how to apply it to a column with a cell
> range so I dont' have to do this +5000 times, and worse - on about 113
> different spreadsheets.
>
> I tried clicking on "Column B" and entering LEFT(A1:A5231) after the
> "=" sign in the formula bar, but as soon as I typed the colon it said
> invalid character. It was acting like I couldn't use this to create a
> formula for the column.
>
> I'm sure there is a way to do this for a column if there is a function
> that will do this for a cell.
>
> Please help.
>
>

Hi,

In Column B , you should use =LEFT(A1,1) and copy it down to all the
values in column A.

Regards

Govind.

rebates wrote:
> If I have a "column A" containing +5000 entries, with each cell being a
> name, how do I create a "column B" next to it with each cell being the
> first initial of the name in "column A"?
>
> I know I can use the "LEFT" function in the forumla bar to convert a
> single cell, but I don't know how to apply it to a column with a cell
> range so I dont' have to do this +5000 times, and worse - on about 113
> different spreadsheets.
>
> I tried clicking on "Column B" and entering LEFT(A1:A5231) after the
> "=" sign in the formula bar, but as soon as I typed the colon it said
> invalid character. It was acting like I couldn't use this to create a
> formula for the column.
>
> I'm sure there is a way to do this for a column if there is a function
> that will do this for a cell.
>
> Please help.
>
>

Hi,

In Column B , you should use =LEFT(A1,1) and copy it down to all the
values in column A.

Regards

Govind.

rebates wrote:
> If I have a "column A" containing +5000 entries, with each cell being a
> name, how do I create a "column B" next to it with each cell being the
> first initial of the name in "column A"?
>
> I know I can use the "LEFT" function in the forumla bar to convert a
> single cell, but I don't know how to apply it to a column with a cell
> range so I dont' have to do this +5000 times, and worse - on about 113
> different spreadsheets.
>
> I tried clicking on "Column B" and entering LEFT(A1:A5231) after the
> "=" sign in the formula bar, but as soon as I typed the colon it said
> invalid character. It was acting like I couldn't use this to create a
> formula for the column.
>
> I'm sure there is a way to do this for a column if there is a function
> that will do this for a cell.
>
> Please help.
>
>

Hi,

In Column B , you should use =LEFT(A1,1) and copy it down to all the
values in column A.

Regards

Govind.

rebates wrote:
> If I have a "column A" containing +5000 entries, with each cell being a
> name, how do I create a "column B" next to it with each cell being the
> first initial of the name in "column A"?
>
> I know I can use the "LEFT" function in the forumla bar to convert a
> single cell, but I don't know how to apply it to a column with a cell
> range so I dont' have to do this +5000 times, and worse - on about 113
> different spreadsheets.
>
> I tried clicking on "Column B" and entering LEFT(A1:A5231) after the
> "=" sign in the formula bar, but as soon as I typed the colon it said
> invalid character. It was acting like I couldn't use this to create a
> formula for the column.
>
> I'm sure there is a way to do this for a column if there is a function
> that will do this for a cell.
>
> Please help.
>
>

Hi,

In Column B , you should use =LEFT(A1,1) and copy it down to all the
values in column A.

Regards

Govind.

rebates wrote:
> If I have a "column A" containing +5000 entries, with each cell being a
> name, how do I create a "column B" next to it with each cell being the
> first initial of the name in "column A"?
>
> I know I can use the "LEFT" function in the forumla bar to convert a
> single cell, but I don't know how to apply it to a column with a cell
> range so I dont' have to do this +5000 times, and worse - on about 113
> different spreadsheets.
>
> I tried clicking on "Column B" and entering LEFT(A1:A5231) after the
> "=" sign in the formula bar, but as soon as I typed the colon it said
> invalid character. It was acting like I couldn't use this to create a
> formula for the column.
>
> I'm sure there is a way to do this for a column if there is a function
> that will do this for a cell.
>
> Please help.
>
>

Hi,

In Column B , you should use =LEFT(A1,1) and copy it down to all the
values in column A.

Regards

Govind.

rebates wrote:
> If I have a "column A" containing +5000 entries, with each cell being a
> name, how do I create a "column B" next to it with each cell being the
> first initial of the name in "column A"?
>
> I know I can use the "LEFT" function in the forumla bar to convert a
> single cell, but I don't know how to apply it to a column with a cell
> range so I dont' have to do this +5000 times, and worse - on about 113
> different spreadsheets.
>
> I tried clicking on "Column B" and entering LEFT(A1:A5231) after the
> "=" sign in the formula bar, but as soon as I typed the colon it said
> invalid character. It was acting like I couldn't use this to create a
> formula for the column.
>
> I'm sure there is a way to do this for a column if there is a function
> that will do this for a cell.
>
> Please help.
>
>

Hi,

In Column B , you should use =LEFT(A1,1) and copy it down to all the
values in column A.

Regards

Govind.

rebates wrote:
> If I have a "column A" containing +5000 entries, with each cell being a
> name, how do I create a "column B" next to it with each cell being the
> first initial of the name in "column A"?
>
> I know I can use the "LEFT" function in the forumla bar to convert a
> single cell, but I don't know how to apply it to a column with a cell
> range so I dont' have to do this +5000 times, and worse - on about 113
> different spreadsheets.
>
> I tried clicking on "Column B" and entering LEFT(A1:A5231) after the
> "=" sign in the formula bar, but as soon as I typed the colon it said
> invalid character. It was acting like I couldn't use this to create a
> formula for the column.
>
> I'm sure there is a way to do this for a column if there is a function
> that will do this for a cell.
>
> Please help.
>
>

Hi,

In Column B , you should use =LEFT(A1,1) and copy it down to all the
values in column A.

Regards

Govind.

rebates wrote:
> If I have a "column A" containing +5000 entries, with each cell being a
> name, how do I create a "column B" next to it with each cell being the
> first initial of the name in "column A"?
>
> I know I can use the "LEFT" function in the forumla bar to convert a
> single cell, but I don't know how to apply it to a column with a cell
> range so I dont' have to do this +5000 times, and worse - on about 113
> different spreadsheets.
>
> I tried clicking on "Column B" and entering LEFT(A1:A5231) after the
> "=" sign in the formula bar, but as soon as I typed the colon it said
> invalid character. It was acting like I couldn't use this to create a
> formula for the column.
>
> I'm sure there is a way to do this for a column if there is a function
> that will do this for a cell.
>
> Please help.
>
>

Hi,

In Column B , you should use =LEFT(A1,1) and copy it down to all the
values in column A.

Regards

Govind.

rebates wrote:
> If I have a "column A" containing +5000 entries, with each cell being a
> name, how do I create a "column B" next to it with each cell being the
> first initial of the name in "column A"?
>
> I know I can use the "LEFT" function in the forumla bar to convert a
> single cell, but I don't know how to apply it to a column with a cell
> range so I dont' have to do this +5000 times, and worse - on about 113
> different spreadsheets.
>
> I tried clicking on "Column B" and entering LEFT(A1:A5231) after the
> "=" sign in the formula bar, but as soon as I typed the colon it said
> invalid character. It was acting like I couldn't use this to create a
> formula for the column.
>
> I'm sure there is a way to do this for a column if there is a function
> that will do this for a cell.
>
> Please help.
>
>