# LEFT


Given a number of characters, takes the leftmost number of characters in the string from the source column or custom string, and returns the specified number of leftmost characters in a new column.

**Parameters**
+ `sourceColumn` – The name of an existing column.
+ `value` – A character string to evaluate.
+ `position` – The character position to begin with, from the left end of the string.
+ `targetColumn` – The name of the new column to be created.

**Note**  
You can specify either `sourceColumn` or `value`, but not both.

**Examples**  
  

```
{
    "RecipeAction": {
        "Operation": "LEFT",
        "Parameters": {
            "position": "3",
            "sourceColumn": "city",
            "targetColumn": "city_left"
        }
    }
}
```
  

```
{
    "RecipeAction": {
        "Operation": "LEFT",
        "Parameters": {
            "position": "5",
            "value": "How now brown cow",
            "targetColumn": "how_now_5_left_chars"
        }
    }
}
```