[excel] VLook-Up Match first 3 characters of one column with another column

=VLOOKUP(Left(A1,1),B$2:B$22,2,FALSE)

Left is because you are starting the word/alphanumeric text from the left. the number "1" which i have placed is after lookup value in this case "A1" is because my search includes the formula for 1st character. If second character is asked it would be (A1,2) quite simple really :)