IFs with mismatched string length

[mayday1]

Column R has data that will be either start with CR-, IP, PUD or other strings I don't care about. I need column S to show
AR if the first 3 characters of X = CR-
BE if the first 2 characters of X = IP
CE if the first 3 characters of X are PUD
and blank if X has any other characters in those positions.

 

[Michael M]

Maybe

=IF(LEFT(R1,3)="CR-","AR",IF(LEFT(R1,2)="IP","BE",IF(LEFT(R1,3)="PUD","CE","")))

and copy down

 

[cstimart]

Column R has data that will be either start with CR-, IP, PUD or other strings I don't care about. I need column S to show
AR if the first 3 characters of X = CR-
BE if the first 2 characters of X = IP
CE if the first 3 characters of X are PUD
and blank if X has any other characters in those positions.

Just use a nested if statement in Column S, like...

=IF(LEFT(R1,3)="CR-","AR",IF(LEFT(R1,2)="IP","BE",IF(LEFT(R1,3)="PUD","CE","X")))