Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Dissecting a String.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated March 10, 2026)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
If you have used BASIC before, you will be right at home with the string functions provided by VBA. The following table details the most common string functions and what they return.
| Function | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| Left(Source, Count) | Returns the left Count characters of Source. | |
| Mid(Source, Start [, Count]) | Returns the portion of Source beginning with the Start character. If Count is supplied, then the result is limited to that many characters. | |
| Right(Source, Count) | Returns the right Count characters of Source. |
When working with these string functions, remember that the Source variable must be declared as a string in order for the functions to work properly.
Note:
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (9301) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Dissecting a String.
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here:
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