How to match the first few characters of an acct name in a query 1

[Goot]

I have a list of account names (254 in total) that a user wants me to cross reference against our database.
If I join the two tables on the account name, it matches 2 records. I would like to match on the first x characters to see how that looks. I have been trying to do it in the query analyzer, but its not working right.

How can I match the first three characters of the name?

Thanks

 

[lupins46]

Select table1.*, table2.* from table1 inner join table2 on
left(table1.somefield,3) = left(table2.somefield,3)

 

[stephenk1973]

Trim the field from the first table, them select the trimmed field form the second table in the critera. Sort of like.....

SELECT Left([NAME],3) AS TRIMMEDFIELD
FROM TABLE1, TABLE2
WHERE (((Left([TABLE1][NAME],3))=Left([TABLE2].[LOC_NAME],3)));

Hope this helps