Using The Name Box in Excel

The Name Box in is an often-overlooked feature in Excel. In a programme so powerful, offering Pivot Tables and Formulas, it is easy to do so, but this small and ordinary looking box has a lot of features that can really simplify the use of Excel. It can find the address of a cell; help navigate within a worksheet or workbook, or even be used to select.

 

1. Use the Name Box to Find the Address of the Selected Cell

 

Name Box Location The name box is situated next to the formula bar in a worksheet and it displays the address of the currently selected cell or object.

 

In the screen above, the Name Box is showing B3 because B3 is the currently selected cell. The address of any cell clicked upon will immediately display in the Name Box; useful if the cell is going to included in a formula.
The Name box won’t just give you the address of one cell. It can be applied to any group of cells too.

 

For instance:

 

Name Box 1

 

If a block of cells (a range) is selected, the Name Box will display the first cell in that range.

 

Name Box 2

 

If a non-contiguous range of cells is selected, the name box will display the first cell in the last part of the non-contiguous range selected. A non-contiguous range is a range that includes cells that are not all next to each other (contiguous). Hold down the Ctrl key whilst selecting to select multiple cells and ranges at once.

 

2. Using the Name Box to Select Cells

 

The Name Box’s functionality becomes really useful when, instead of just being used to check the cell address of a selection, it is used to make a selection. Selecting with a mouse can sometimes be difficult, especially for very large ranges or areas of a worksheet not currently in view.

 

By simply clicking into the name box, typing in the address of a cell, or range of cells, and then pressing Enter, Excel will automatically select that cell or range.

 

Name Box 3

Name Box 4.

 

Name Box 5

 

To Select a block of cells type the range into the Name Box, using a colon between the first cell address and the last cell address. (Notice that it is not necessary to use capitals when typing the cell references.)

 

Name Box 6

 

Press enter for Excel to select the range.

 

To select a cell or range of cells on another worksheet, type the name of the worksheet, followed by an exclamation mark and then the address of the cell, or range of cells. (E.g. Sheet4!A2:E8) into the Name Box and press enter.

 

There’s much more that the Name Box can do. Please check our next blog to find out.

0 Responses to “Using The Name Box in Excel”


  1. No Comments

Leave a Reply