1. Select the cell range D8:H8 in the worksheet
2. Click the Formulas tab and click the Define Name button
3. Type csales2011_15 in the Name text box and, to apply the name only for the current worksheet, select 2011-2015 from the Scope drop-down list
4. Click OK
You've assigned a name to the cell range.
Another way you can create names in Excel 2010 is by using the Create from Selection button on the Formulas tab. This lets you convert existing row or column headings into names.
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The Create from Selection button can be found in the Defined Names group of the Formulas tab.
To use this option, you first select the cell or range of cells you want to name, together with the row or column label you want to assign as the name.
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In an example worksheet, row 9 is selected. Cell B9 contains the name Chavis_Tonya in the Salesperson column. The remaining cells contain Tonya Chavis's employment details, the dollar value of her sales, and a bonus percentage and dollar value.
Then you click Create from Selection.
In the Create Names from Selection dialog box, you can specify whether the entry in the top or bottom row, or in the left or right column, of the selected range should be assigned as the name.
Once you've chosen the appropriate option, you click OK.
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The Create Names from Selection dialog box contains Top row, Left column, Bottom row, and Right column checkboxes. In this case, Left column is selected.
Now when you select the cell range you've named, the Name Box on the Formula Bar displays its name. Note that this name identifies all the cells in the specified range – you can't use it to reference only one cell in that range.
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In this example, the Name Box displays the name Chavis_Tonya.
189 Try It
Now you try naming a cell range – which is already selected – using the Create from Selection command.
In the worksheet displaying product sales over different months, cells D6 to D18 are selected. Cell D6 contains the column heading "January." The Formulas tab is open on the Ribbon.
To complete the task
1. Click Create from Selection
2. Accept the default selection of the Top Row checkbox in the Create Names from Selection dialog box and click OK
You've named a cell range using the Create from Selection command.
Once you've assigned names to selected cells or cell ranges, you can use them in formulas.
One way of doing this is to click the Use in Formula drop-down button and select the required name from the associated menu.
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The Use in Formula drop-down menu lists all the names available to the current worksheet, such as csales2011_15. A Paste Names option is also available.
If the name is the first part of a formula, Excel 2010 will automatically add an equals sign, as well as the name you selected, to the Formula Bar.
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In this case, the Formula Bar displays =csales2011_15.
Alternatively, you can start typing the name of a cell or cell range directly into the Formula Bar.
After you've typed a few letters, Excel 2010 displays any matching names and you can add the relevant one to the formula by double-clicking it.
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The formula =I20+cs displays in the Formula Bar. The option =csales2011_15 displays below the Formula Bar.
Try It
190
Now you try using the Use in Formula command. You want to enter a formula in cell E20 to add the value in the cell named "January" to the total sales value in cell E19. Use uppercase when typing the cell reference.
A worksheet displaying product sales over different months displays.
To complete the task
1. Select cell E20
2. Click the Use in Formula drop-down button and select January 3. Type +E19 and click the Enter button on the Formula Bar
You've added the name to the formula using the Use in Formula command.
You can track and manage all the names you've assigned to cells or cell ranges in a workbook.
To do this, you first click the Name Manager button.
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The Name Manager button is in the Defined Names group on the Formulas tab.
This opens the Name Manager dialog box, which you can use to create new names, delete existing names, or edit names and their associated details.
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The Name Manager dialog box contains New, Edit, Delete, and Filter buttons. It contains a pane with Name, Value, Scope, Refers To, and Comment columns. Below the pane, a Refers to text box with a Collapse Dialog button references a selected cell.
You need to be careful when you delete names. Once you've deleted a name, any formulas you've entered using the name will display errors.
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A cell containing a formula that uses a deleted name contains the entry #NAME?.
Try It
Now you try using the Name Manager to delete the name "March."
A worksheet displaying product sales over different months displays. The Formulas tab displays on the Ribbon.