Ten Minute Guide to Excel 97

Naming Cells and Cell Ranges

Up to this point, you have used cell addresses to refer to cells. Although that works, it is often more convenient to name cells with more recognizable names. For example, say you want to determine your net income by subtracting expenses from income (see Lesson 14). You can name the cell that contains your total income "INCOME,"and name the cell that contains your total expenses "EXPENSES." You can then determine your net income by using the formula:

= INCOME – EXPENSES

Giving the cells memorable names will make the formula more logical and easier to manage. Naming cells and ranges also makes it easier to cut, copy, and move blocks of cells, as explained in Lesson 6.

Follow these steps to name a cell range:

1. Select ...