Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Dynamic Worksheet Tab Names.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 16, 2021)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
You probably already know that you can change the name of a worksheet tab by double-clicking on the tab and providing a new name. What if you want to do it dynamically, however? What if you want to have the value in cell A1 automatically appear as the tab name?
Unfortunately, Excel doesn't provide an intrinsic function to handle this sort of task. It is a relatively simply task to develop such a function using a macro that will do the job for you. For instance, the following macro will change the tab name to the contents of A1:
Sub myTabName() ActiveSheet.Name = ActiveSheet.Range("A1") End Sub
There are several important items to note about this macro. First of all, there is no error checking. This means that if A1 contains a value that would be illegal for a tab name (such as nothing at all or more than 31 characters), then the macro generates an error. Second, the macro must be manually run.
What if you want a more robust macro that does check for errors and runs automatically? The result is a bit longer, but still not overly complex:
Private Sub Worksheet_SelectionChange(ByVal Target As Excel.Range) Set Target = Range("A1") If Target = "" Then Exit Sub On Error GoTo Badname ActiveSheet.Name = Left(Target, 31) Exit Sub Badname: MsgBox "Please revise the entry in A1." & Chr(13) _ & "It appears to contain one or more " & Chr(13) _ & "illegal characters." & Chr(13) Range("A1").Activate End Sub
To set up this macro, follow these steps:
Now, anytime you change the value in cell A1, the worksheet tab also updates.
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2145) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Dynamic Worksheet Tab Names.
Save Time and Supercharge Excel! Automate virtually any routine task and save yourself hours, days, maybe even weeks. Then, learn how to make Excel do things you thought were simply impossible! Mastering advanced Excel macros has never been easier. Check out Excel 2010 VBA and Macros today!
Do you need your worksheet tabs to be taller than what they are? You can't make the adjustment in Excel, but you can make ...
Discover MoreIf you have a lot of worksheets in a workbook, you may wonder if you can "freeze" the position of some of those worksheet ...
Discover MoreLook at the bottom of a worksheet and chances are you will see tabs for all the worksheets in the current workbook. Want ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2024 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments