labels in formulas

In going through an Excel course I'm asked to use column labels in a formula.
I've enabled labels in formulas in the options page. I first set the cells up
with the normal cell designations for the formula, eg., A1*D1, and all was
well. When I changed the formula, per lesson instructions, to the column
labels,=(qty)*(price), the resultant was an astronomicaly large negative
number. The initial numbers were 20 and 4.85 and the subject cell is in the
same row. I tried setting up a dummy worksheet using different numbers and
labels and the same procedure and it worked. Any ideas as to what I may be
doing wrong?

It should work just fine, with or without ( ) as
=qty*price
where qty & price are named cells
To name the cell just select and type in a name in the name box to the left
of the formula box
--
Don Guillett
SalesAid Software
[email protected]
"C" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In going through an Excel course I'm asked to use column labels in a
formula.
> I've enabled labels in formulas in the options page. I first set the cells
up
> with the normal cell designations for the formula, eg., A1*D1, and all was
> well. When I changed the formula, per lesson instructions, to the column
> labels,=(qty)*(price), the resultant was an astronomicaly large negative
> number. The initial numbers were 20 and 4.85 and the subject cell is in
the
> same row. I tried setting up a dummy worksheet using different numbers and
> labels and the same procedure and it worked. Any ideas as to what I may be
> doing wrong?

I'm trying to use column labels vs. named cells.

"Don Guillett" wrote:

> It should work just fine, with or without ( ) as
> =qty*price
> where qty & price are named cells
> To name the cell just select and type in a name in the name box to the left
> of the formula box
> --
> Don Guillett
> SalesAid Software
> [email protected]
> "C" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > In going through an Excel course I'm asked to use column labels in a
> formula.
> > I've enabled labels in formulas in the options page. I first set the cells
> up
> > with the normal cell designations for the formula, eg., A1*D1, and all was
> > well. When I changed the formula, per lesson instructions, to the column
> > labels,=(qty)*(price), the resultant was an astronomicaly large negative
> > number. The initial numbers were 20 and 4.85 and the subject cell is in
> the
> > same row. I tried setting up a dummy worksheet using different numbers and
> > labels and the same procedure and it worked. Any ideas as to what I may be
> > doing wrong?
>
>
>

I, for one, am still not clear what you want. If you named an entire column
qty and another price and you want to multiply all in the column * all in
the other column, use the SUMPRODUCT function.
=SUMPRODUCT(I2:I100*J2:J100)
--
Don Guillett
SalesAid Software
[email protected]
"C" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm trying to use column labels vs. named cells.
>
> "Don Guillett" wrote:
>
> > It should work just fine, with or without ( ) as
> > =qty*price
> > where qty & price are named cells
> > To name the cell just select and type in a name in the name box to the
left
> > of the formula box
> > --
> > Don Guillett
> > SalesAid Software
> > [email protected]
> > "C" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > In going through an Excel course I'm asked to use column labels in a
> > formula.
> > > I've enabled labels in formulas in the options page. I first set the
cells
> > up
> > > with the normal cell designations for the formula, eg., A1*D1, and all
was
> > > well. When I changed the formula, per lesson instructions, to the
column
> > > labels,=(qty)*(price), the resultant was an astronomicaly large
negative
> > > number. The initial numbers were 20 and 4.85 and the subject cell is
in
> > the
> > > same row. I tried setting up a dummy worksheet using different numbers
and
> > > labels and the same procedure and it worked. Any ideas as to what I
may be
> > > doing wrong?
> >
> >
> >

Did Price change to capital letters in the formula? Perhaps it's picking
up a built-in function.

Use UnitPrice or Prices for the column heading, and it should work as
expected.

C wrote:
> In going through an Excel course I'm asked to use column labels in a formula.
> I've enabled labels in formulas in the options page. I first set the cells up
> with the normal cell designations for the formula, eg., A1*D1, and all was
> well. When I changed the formula, per lesson instructions, to the column
> labels,=(qty)*(price), the resultant was an astronomicaly large negative
> number. The initial numbers were 20 and 4.85 and the subject cell is in the
> same row. I tried setting up a dummy worksheet using different numbers and
> labels and the same procedure and it worked. Any ideas as to what I may be
> doing wrong?


--
Debra Dalgleish
Excel FAQ, Tips & Book List
http://www.contextures.com/tiptech.html

Yes, "price" changed to all upper case. but "qty" changed only the "q" in
caps. This worksheet is laid out per instructions in a MS Excel '97 course
book. The intent is to demonstrate using column/row labels in formulas. Named
cells were previously dealt with. My problem is in this situation it doesn't
seem to work, getting either a "NAME" message or a huge number.
I changed "price" to "prices" and it works as advertised. I went into the
function list and found the PRICE function to be financial one involving
securities and their maturity. No wonder the strange number!
I can only surmise that MS has changed that function in the migration from
'97 to XP which is what I'm using.
Thanks to both Don and Debra for your help.

C


"Debra Dalgleish" wrote:

> Did Price change to capital letters in the formula? Perhaps it's picking
> up a built-in function.
>
> Use UnitPrice or Prices for the column heading, and it should work as
> expected.
>
> C wrote:
> > In going through an Excel course I'm asked to use column labels in a formula.
> > I've enabled labels in formulas in the options page. I first set the cells up
> > with the normal cell designations for the formula, eg., A1*D1, and all was
> > well. When I changed the formula, per lesson instructions, to the column
> > labels,=(qty)*(price), the resultant was an astronomicaly large negative
> > number. The initial numbers were 20 and 4.85 and the subject cell is in the
> > same row. I tried setting up a dummy worksheet using different numbers and
> > labels and the same procedure and it worked. Any ideas as to what I may be
> > doing wrong?
>
>
> --
> Debra Dalgleish
> Excel FAQ, Tips & Book List
> http://www.contextures.com/tiptech.html
>
>