EXCEL2007 Create a region name in the workbook

EXCEL2007 Create a region name in the workbook

Excel provides several different ways to create a zone name. Before you begin, however, you must take note of the important rules regarding acceptable content:

The name cannot contain spaces. You can use an underscore character instead of a space (such as annual total).

You can use any combination of letters and numbers, but the name must begin with a letter. A name cannot begin with a number (such as 3 rdquarter) or it may look like a cell reference (such as a QTR3). If you do want to use these names, you can add an underscore before the name: _3rd quarter and _QTR3.

You cannot use symbols other than underscores and decimal points.

A name can have up to 255 characters, but keep the name short and meaningful and easy to understand.

Excel also uses several names within the system for its own use. Although user-created names can overwrite the internal name of Excel, this should be avoided. For security reasons, avoid the following names: Print area, print tites, conslidate area, and sheet title.

1. Use the New Name dialog box

To create a range name, first select the cell or range you want to name. Then select the name "->" defined by "formula"-> 0 Excel Displays the new Name dialog box, as shown in Figure 5.12.

Note that this is a resizable dialog box. Click and drag the border to change its dimensions.

Enter a name in the box labeled "Name", if any, use Excel

The proposed name. The selected cell or range address appears in the box labeled reference location. Use the range Drop-down list to indicate the scope of the name. The range indicates where the name is valid and is in the entire workbook

or a specific worksheet. If you prefer, you can add a comment describing the named range or cell. Click the OK button to add the name to the workbook and close the dialog box.

2. Use the Name box

A faster way to create a name is to use the name box (located on the left of the formula bar). Select the cell or range you want to name, click Name box, and enter a name. Press ENTER to create the name (the ENTER key must be pressed to the actual record name:

If you enter a name and click on the worksheet, Excel does not create a name. If a name already exists, you cannot use the Name box to change the area that the name refers to. You can do this by simply selecting the range.

The Name box is a drop-down list that shows all the names in the workbook. To select a named cell or range, click Name box and select a name. The name appears in the Name box, and Excel selects the cell or range defined by that name from the worksheet.

3. Use the Create name with selection dialog box

You might have a worksheet that contains text that you want to use to name adjacent cells or ranges. For example, to use the text of column A as the name for the corresponding value in column B. Excel makes this work very simple.

To create a name using adjacent text, first select the name text and the cells you want to name (these items can be separate cells or ranges of cells). The name must be adjacent to the cell you want to name (multiple selections are allowed). Then select the name "->" defined by the formula-> to create based on the selection, and Excel displays the Create name with selection dialog box, as shown in Figure 5.13. The check mark in the dialog box is based on an Excel analysis of the selected area. For example, Excel discovers the first behavior text that is selected, and it suggests creating a name based on the first row. If Excel guesses incorrectly, you can change the check box. When you click the OK button, Excel creates the name.

Note: If the text is contained in a cell, will result in a meta effect name, Excel will be renamed to make it valid. For example, if a cell contains a text net income (because it contains spaces, the name is not valid), Excel converts the space to an underscore character. However, if Excel encounters a value or formula at the text, it does not convert it to a valid name. And you don't create names at all, and don't tell you the truth.

Warning: If the cell in the upper-left corner of the selection contains text, and select the first row and leftmost columns options, Excel uses this text as the name for the entire data range, including the first and leftmost columns. So, before you accept the name that Excel creates, it's a good idea to take a moment to confirm that the area you're referring to is correct. You can use the name manager to delete or modify it (described below).