What is the FIND Function
The FIND function returns the position of one text string inside another. It is case-sensitive and does not support wildcards. If the text is not found, FIND returns an error. This makes FIND useful for precise text parsing.
Formula: =FIND(find_text, within_text, [start_num])
Practical Example 1
A2 contains Excel Training. Find the position of Training.
Type: =FIND(Training, A2)
Result: 7
Practical Example 2
Find the position of a character to split text.
Type: =LEFT(A2, FIND(-, A2) - 1)
Result: the text before the first dash
Practical Example 3
Find the second occurrence of a character by using start_num.
Type: =FIND(-, A2, FIND(-, A2) + 1)
Result: the position of the second dash
Practical Example 4
Combine FIND with MID to extract part of a text.
Type: =MID(A2, FIND(-, A2) + 1, 4)
Result: the 4 characters after the dash
When to Use It
FIND is used for parsing text before or after a delimiter, for extracting prefixes or suffixes, for splitting names, and for any formula where you need the exact position of a specific substring with case sensitivity.