Excel® 2013 In Depth

18. Using Names in Excel

Long before Microsoft introduced tables and formulas such as =[@Revenue]–[@Cost], spreadsheets have offered the ability to assign a name to a cell, range of cells, or formula. The theory is that using a name for a range is easier to understand when used in a formula. For instance, =SUM(MyExpenses) makes formulas more self-documenting than =SUM(Sheet5!AB2:AB99). In Excel 2013, you use the Name Manager interface to assign and use names effectively.

Advantages of Using Names

Names have a variety of uses in a workbook. A name can be applied to any cell or range. Names are also useful for the following:

• Making formulas easier to understand and write. Defined names are offered in the Formula AutoComplete drop-down as you ...