Define and use names in formulas (2023)

FAQs

Define and use names in formulas? ›

On the Formulas tab, in the Defined Names group, click Define Name. In the New Name dialog box, in the Name box, type the name you want to use for your reference. Note: Names can be up to 255 characters in length.

On the Formulas tab, in the Defined Names group, click Define Name. In the New Name dialog box, in the Name box, type the name you want to use for your reference. Note: Names can be up to 255 characters in length.

The defined names in Excel files are descriptive or human-readable names that reference a single cell, range of cells, constant values, or formulas. You can use these names to define cell references without using the columns and rows, thus making it easier to understand the purpose of that cell or cell range.

A named range is one or more cells that have been given a name. Using named ranges can make formulas easier to read and understand. They also provide simple navigation via the Name Box.

On the Insert tab, select Hyperlink. You can also right-click the cell and then select Hyperlink... on the shortcut menu, or you can press Ctrl+K. Under Display Text:, type the text that you want to use to represent the link. Under Place in this document:, enter the defined name or cell reference.

Edit a name

If you modify a defined name or table name, all uses of that name in the workbook are also changed. On the Formulas tab, in the Defined Names group, click Name Manager. In the Name Manager dialog box, double-click the name you want to edit, or, click the name that you want to change, and then click Edit.

To do this, go to the Formulas tab and click on Name Manager. Then, select the named range you want to copy and click on the Copy button. You will then be able to paste the named range into another worksheet. Another way to copy a named range is to use the Create From Selection feature.

This allows you to use range names anywhere you would use a cell or cell range reference. For example, you can define the cell range C1:C45 as "Employees." Now, whenever you need to enter that cell range, you don't have to remember the exact cell range. You just need to type the name that you used to define it.

What is an advantage to defining range names? ›

advantages of the name range. - name ranges are absolute references (don't need to use $ to make them absolute they are automatic) - a range name in one sheet in a workbook can be used in another worksheet in the same workbook without having to specify the name of the worksheet where the range name resides.

Learn about syntax rules for names

Tip: You cannot use the uppercase and lowercase characters "C", "c", "R", or "r" as a defined name, because they are used as shorthand for selecting a row or column for the currently selected cell when you enter them in a Name or Go To text box.

Select the cells with the formulas in which you wish to change cell references to names. To replace the references with defined names in all formulas on the active sheet, select any single blank cell. Go to the Formulas tab > Defined Names group, click the arrow next to Define Name, and then click Apply Names…

You can use the CELL function to reference the current sheet name in an Excel function. Here's how: Click on the cell where you want to reference the current sheet name. Type =CELL("filename") in the formula bar and press Enter.

Rules for Naming Tables in Excel

Allowed characters: You can only use letters, numbers, underscore, or backslash characters in a table name. No spaces or other special characters are allowed. First Character: A table name must begin with either a letter or an underscore, it can not begin with a number.

Name Box

Press "Enter," and the cell range now has a unique name. Example: Select the cell range A1:A10. Type "Prices" into the Name Box and press "Enter." Use that named range in formulas such as =SUM(Prices), which gives you the sum of all the figures in the Prices cells.

Why would you use cell names in place of cell references in formulas? ›

Using a range name, like TaxRate, in place of a standard cell reference, like Sheet2!$ C$11, can make a spreadsheet easier to understand and debug/audit.

The only problem is that named ranges, especially dynamic ranges, consume a considerable amount of working memory. Overusing them may slow down your Excel spreadsheet.

The other common criticism of named ranges is that formulas end up with lots of '+' and '@' symbols in their formula, as people don't understand them. All these symbols do is tell Excel to refer to the specific column of the range the formula is in rather than the entire row.

A named range is just a human-understandable name for a range of cells in Excel. Using the name range in Excel, you can simplify and comprehend your formulas better. For example, you can assign a name for a range in an excel sheet for a function, a constant, or table data.

The name of a named constant is therefore indicative of the value's role. A further advantage of using named constants is that should the given value be modified in the source code, it is sufficient to modify the declaration statement, instead of looking up all the occurrences of the value.

A range name is a word or a string of characters that represent one or more cells. A Range name can contain up to 1000 characters but it must begin with a number. One benefit of using range names is that if you copy the formula, you do not have to make the cell reference absolute in the formula.

Guidelines for creating names

The first character of a name must be a letter or an underscore character (_). Remaining characters in the name can be letters, numbers, periods, and underscore characters. In some languages, Excel may replace certain characters with underscores. Spaces are not allowed.

To lock or unlock a named range after it has been created: On the Sheet menu, point to Named Range and choose Manage. In the Named Ranges dialog box, select the named range and click the Edit button. In the Name Range dialog box, select or clear the Locked check box.

The three types of data you can enter into a cell are data, labels and formulas.

How do you merge cells without defining a name? ›

Click Home > Merge & Center. If Merge & Center is dimmed, make sure you're not editing a cell or the cells you want to merge aren't inside a table. Tip: To merge cells without centering the data, click the merged cell and then click the left, center or right alignment options next to Merge & Center.

For this, you can press CTRL + Click on the Defined Names you need to delete. Press the Delete button.

Open or create a sheet. Select a cell. Type = followed by the sheet name, an exclamation point, and the cell being copied. For example, =Sheet1!

Sheet name code Excel formula

Step 1: Type “CELL(“filename”,A1)”. The cell function is used to get the full filename and path. This function returns the filename of . xls workbook, including the sheet name.

Select the cells with the formulas in which you wish to change cell references to names. To replace the references with defined names in all formulas on the active sheet, select any single blank cell. Go to the Formulas tab > Defined Names group, click the arrow next to Define Name, and then click Apply Names…

By using VBA, you can create drop-down lists with multiple selections. With the ability to prevent duplicates and remove incorrect items, this feature can streamline data input and improve accuracy in your Excel spreadsheets.

Go to Data –> Data Tools –> Data Validation. In the Data Validation dialogue box, within the settings tab, select 'List' as Validation Criteria. In Source field, select the cells which have the items that you want in the drop down. Click OK.

How do I create a drop-down list in Excel without source? ›

First ensure that the Show sheet tabs is enabled. To do this, For all other Excel versions, click File > Options > Advanced—in under Display options for this workbook—and then ensure that there is a check in the Show sheet tabs box.