Left Mid Right Not Working for Variables

[ssanto88]

This feels really silly but I can't get the LEFT, MID, RIGHT, functions to work with variables at all. It just keeps giving me an error no matter what I try. It works with a string in the function but not if I use a variable. Can someone tell me what I'm missing? I'm sure it's something simple...

//Formula that doesn't work:
LEFT({Text Phone}, 3) => #ERROR!

//Formula that does work:
LEFT("123456789", 3) => 123

[CJSmith · Accepted solution]

Hi @ssanto88, I think the issue is the source is a lookup field instead of a string or number. I just replicated the issue, and the solve was turning the lookup into a text string as follows:

LEFT(CONCATENATE({Text Phone}), 3)

Let me know if that helps!

[ssanto88]

That did it, thanks for the help @CJSmith!