What function starts from the left of a string and returns a specified number of characters?

The function that begins from the left of a string and returns a specified number of characters is the Left function. This function is specifically designed to facilitate the extraction of a substring starting from the very first character of the given string, allowing users to define how many characters they wish to obtain. For instance, if you have a string "Data Architect" and you want the first four characters, using the Left function with the argument set to 4 would yield "Data".

In this context, the other functions listed have different purposes. The Right function extracts characters from the right end of a string, while the Mid function allows for extracting characters from the middle of a string based on a specified starting position and length. The Repeat function is used to repeat a string a specified number of times but does not extract characters based on their position within the string. Each of these functions serves unique roles in string manipulation, but only the Left function meets the requirement of extracting characters starting from the left.