Using IFerror with Left formula to separate numbers from text

Question

I have an excel spreadsheet connected to an MS form and the MS form has options to choose for each question which pulls through into an excel table for example: -

1 - Doesn't understand Excel

Each answer always starts with either 1, 2, 3, 4 or Absent, followed by text as shown in the example above. Using a formula I would like to extract the number, in this example the "1" to a column to the right of the text.

The formula =LEFT(A2,1) works and brings back the number but for those answered with "Absent" instead of including a number I would like the column to be blank.

I have tried =IFERROR(LEFT,A2,1),"") but this is bringing back A into the column.

How can I formulate it so I just receive the numbers and leave the column blank for those that say "Absent"?

Thank you!!

Answer 1

Try this:

=IFERROR(LEFT(A2,1)*1,"")