Alternative to Textbefore Function

[NorthbyNorthwest]

Hi, everyone. I created a workbook for another person's use. The workbook includes the new textbefore function. Unfortunately, it appears the user's version of Excel does not support this function. The formula is as follows:
=TEXTBEFORE(E4," (",-1,,,E4)

The workbook has a list of names followed by unneeded remark in parentheses. Example" SMITH, JOHN A (1234). The formula above removed (1234). Is there older function or combination of older functions I can use to achieve the same result? Note the remark in parentheses varies in length. It isn't always four characters within the parentheses or six characters including parentheses.

 

[Dave Patton]

try

T202301a.xlsm
	E	F	G
1
2
3
4	SMITH, JOHN A (1234)	SMITH, JOHN A
5
1b

Cell Formulas
Range	Formula
F4	F4	=LEFT(E4,FIND("(",E4)-1)

 

[etaf]

how about
=LEFT(E4,FIND("(",E4,1)-1)

 

[NorthbyNorthwest]

how about
=LEFT(E4,FIND("(",E4,1)-1)

Thanks, etaf. Left worked perfectly. I have a second formula in the workbook that cleans up names by removing a hyphen and everything that follows after the last and first names. I tried swapping out the parentheses in your formula with a hyphen. I got a VALUE error. Could you help with this too?

 

[etaf]

an example would help

also Dave Patton provided the same answer

how about

Book2
	E	F
1
2
3
4	SMITH, JOHN A (1234	SMITH, JOHN A
5	SMITH, JOHN A - (1235	SMITH, JOHN A
Sheet1

Cell Formulas
Range	Formula
F4	F4	=LEFT(E4,SEARCH("(",E4,1)-1)
F5	F5	=LEFT(E5,SEARCH("-",E5,1)-1)

 

[NorthbyNorthwest]

an example would help

also Dave Patton provided the same answer

how about

Book2
	E	F
1
2
3
4	SMITH, JOHN A (1234	SMITH, JOHN A
5	SMITH, JOHN A - (1235	SMITH, JOHN A
Sheet1

Cell Formulas
Range	Formula
F4	F4	=LEFT(E4,SEARCH("(",E4,1)-1)
F5	F5	=LEFT(E5,SEARCH("-",E5,1)-1)

Example: SMITH, JOHN A - 1234
I also want to get rid of the hyphen and what follows. I tried using the left function as you did. It removed the "1234" but not the hyphen or space following the hyphen.

 

[etaf]

has in my example
E5

=LEFT(E4,SEARCH("-",E4,1)-1)

to get rid of any trailing spaces
=TRIM(LEFT(E4,SEARCH("-",E4,1)-1))

Book2
	E	F
1
2
3
4	SMITH, JOHN A (1234	SMITH, JOHN A
5	SMITH, JOHN A - (1235	SMITH, JOHN A
6
7
8	SMITH, JOHN A - 1234	SMITH, JOHN A
Sheet1

Cell Formulas
Range	Formula
F4	F4	=LEFT(E4,SEARCH("(",E4,1)-1)
F5	F5	=LEFT(E5,SEARCH("-",E5,1)-1)
F8	F8	=TRIM(LEFT(E8,SEARCH("-",E8,1)-1))

 

[NorthbyNorthwest]

has in my example
E5

=LEFT(E4,SEARCH("-",E4,1)-1)

to get rid of any trailing spaces
=TRIM(LEFT(E4,SEARCH("-",E4,1)-1))

Book2
	E	F
1
2
3
4	SMITH, JOHN A (1234	SMITH, JOHN A
5	SMITH, JOHN A - (1235	SMITH, JOHN A
6
7
8	SMITH, JOHN A - 1234	SMITH, JOHN A
Sheet1

Cell Formulas
Range	Formula
F4	F4	=LEFT(E4,SEARCH("(",E4,1)-1)
F5	F5	=LEFT(E5,SEARCH("-",E5,1)-1)
F8	F8	=TRIM(LEFT(E5,SEARCH("-",E5,1)-1))

Yes that worked too. Thanks again, etaf.

try

T202301a.xlsm
	E	F	G
1
2
3
4	SMITH, JOHN A (1234)	SMITH, JOHN A
5
1b

Cell Formulas
Range	Formula
F4	F4	=LEFT(E4,FIND("(",E4)-1)

Thanks for the response, Dave. Appreciate all.

 

[etaf]

you are welcome