Can I change the names of multiple cells at once?

[shadestreet]

I need to change the names of cells in an entire column. Instead of A1, A2, A3... I want to have "hours1, hours2, hours3, hours4...

Is this possible? How?

[SamuelT]

Type 'hours1' in A1, and 'hours2' in A2. Then just drag it down. Excel should automatically do the rest for you.

SamuelT

[shadestreet]

Your solution works only if I wanted to change the data in the cells, but it is the actual name of the cell I want to change. I don't want the cell to be called "A1", I want to refer to it as "hours1". I need to change all cell names in the column, not the actual data.

Purpose is to write my formulas using the new names, so other users can read the formulas and make sense of them.

(a formula that says "=widgets2/hours2" makes more sense than "=A2/B2")

[SamuelT]

I guess, depending on how many cells you're actually using, that you could click on each cell you're using and rename it in the cell name box in the top left hand corner.

If you've got a lot of cells though it's not really a viable solution.

SamuelT

PS - you wrote: a formula that says "=widgets2/hours2" makes more sense than "=A2/B2". Not sure I agree with that

[Gord Dibben]

In B1 enter hours1

In B2 enter hours2

Select B1:B2 and drag/copy down as far as you wish.

Select Column A and B.

Insert>Name>Create>Left Column and OK

The names hours1, hours2 stc. have been assigned to A1, A2 etc.

You can now "Clear Contents" of column B.

DO NOT "Delete" column B, just "clear contents".


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Tue, 30 May 2006 09:45:14 -0500, shadestreet
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
>I need to change the names of cells in an entire column. Instead of A1,
>A2, A3... I want to have "hours1, hours2, hours3, hours4...
>
>Is this possible? How?

[shadestreet]

Gord, that tip is very helpful...

But I can't seem to get it to work... I followed your instructions step-by-step

Is there something you left out or maybe an obvious mistake I am making?

[shadestreet]

Never mind, I changed it to "right column" instead of "left column" and it worked.

You mentioned that I should not delete column B, only clear the contents. Just to test what happened I deleted it and everything seems just fine, the names are still intact in column A. Is there some other reason why you said not to delete column B?

Final question for anyone poking in this thread, Gord's tip is very helpful, however, if I renamed the cells and then someone deletes a row, Excel isn't smart enough to change the cell name reference. Is there another method to achieve what I want where the cell names are somehow updated?

Example, I rename A1, A2, and A3 "work1, work2, work3". If I delete the 2nd row, the named cell "work3" is moved up to cell A2, and isn't automatically renamed "work2", stays as work3.

Not too big of a problem, but would nice if this renaming could be perfect.

Thanks

[shadestreet]

Well, I think I found the dealbreaker in my whole plan..

Apparently formulas that reference named cells do not automatically update the reference if you drag the formulas down... stays fixed on reference "work1" instead of "work2" when I drag the formula down one notch.

Doubtful, but if there is a way around this final hurdle please let me know.

Thanks

[Dominic LeVasseur]

You could probably use:

=indirect("work"&row())

HTH

"shadestreet" wrote:

>
> Well, I think I found the dealbreaker in my whole plan..
>
> Apparently formulas that reference named cells do not automatically
> update the reference if you drag the formulas down... stays fixed on
> reference "work1" instead of "work2" when I drag the formula down one
> notch.
>
> Doubtful, but if there is a way around this final hurdle please let me
> know.
>
> Thanks
>
>
> --
> shadestreet
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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