Turning Off Names

Summary: You can use some of the tools in Excel to convert cell references in formulas into names. Converting back (from names into cell references) is not so easy, requiring manually editing the formulas. (This tip works with Microsoft Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, Excel 2003, and Excel 2007.)

Excel includes the capability to convert cell references (such as B2 or C7) to names you have defined within a document; exactly how you do this has been covered in other issues of ExcelTips. There is no inherent command that will convert from named references back to cell references.

Unfortunately, if you try to delete names already defined in a workbook, Excel simply replaces the results of formulas referencing the name with the #NAME? error. The only way to switch back to cell references is to edit each of the formulas that reference a name and replace the reference with a cell reference.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2584) applies to Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003 | 2007

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Turning Off Names