Excel 2016 In Depth

12. Array Formulas and Names in Excel

Long before Microsoft introduced tables and formulas such as =[@Revenue]–[@Cost], spreadsheets have offered the capability to assign a name to a cell, a range of cells, or a 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 2016, 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 ...