How to get the text between two dashes with TEXTBEFORE

When a reference packs several parts into one cell, like INV-1001-A, you often want just the piece before the first dash. This pulls it out.

The formula

=TEXTBEFORE(TEXTAFTER(A2,"-"),"-") in column B

What each part does

TEXTAFTER(A2,"-"): Everything after the first dash. This still includes the last part of the code.
TEXTBEFORE(...,"-"): From that, the part before the next dash, which is the middle.

How it works, and what to watch for

TEXTBEFORE stops at the first dash and hands you everything in front of it. Point it at the last dash instead and it keeps more.

If the dash is ever missing, the modern version returns #N/A. Wrapping it in IFERROR lets you fall back to the whole cell gracefully.

On older Excel this becomes LEFT paired with FIND, which is the version the settings switch will give you.

Questions

What if some cells have no dash?

Wrap it in IFERROR so those fall back to the whole value: =IFERROR(TEXTBEFORE(A2,"-"),A2).

How do I get the part after the dash?

Use TEXTAFTER the same way, which keeps everything past the dash instead of before it.

The example sheet

Reference	Middle
INV-1042-B
CRN-2210-A
ORD-8899-C

If this helped, these are close by

Split a code into two columns — Letters into one column, number into the next
Split first and last name — First and last name
Make initials from a full name — First letter of each of the two names

More on TEXTBEFORE, and every walkthrough that uses it.

Formula Steps Watch how Excel formulas are built. Download the sheet.

Settings: separator, Excel version

Argument separator

Set by your computer's language, not by the file. A frequent cause of a correct-looking formula being rejected.

Excel version

XLOOKUP, IFS, TEXTBEFORE and TEXTJOIN need Microsoft 365 or 2021; older versions return #NAME? instead. Choosing the older one switches every walkthrough to a formula that works there.