Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated January 3, 2020)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
Looking for a way to put the name of your worksheet directly into a cell? Excel makes this easy through the use of the CELL function. If you include the following in a cell, Excel returns the full path of the workbook, along with the sheet name:
=CELL("filename")
For instance, if you entered this into a cell in the Sheet1 worksheet of the MyWB workbook, the information returned by Excel might be something like C:\My Documents\[MyWB.xls]Sheet1 (depending, of course, on the drive and directory in which the workbook is saved).
To return just the worksheet name from this value, you could use the following in your cell:
=MID(CELL("filename"),(FIND("]",CELL("filename"))+1),50)
This will work for any worksheet name up to 50 characters in length. (If you routinely use different lengths, simply change the value in the formula.) Continuing the earlier example, Excel would return Sheet1 as the result.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2146) 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: Returning a Worksheet Name.
Dive Deep into Macros! Make Excel do things you thought were impossible, discover techniques you won't find anywhere else, and create powerful automated reports. Bill Jelen and Tracy Syrstad help you instantly visualize information to make it actionable. You’ll find step-by-step instructions, real-world case studies, and 50 workbooks packed with examples and solutions. Check out Microsoft Excel 2019 VBA and Macros today!
Want a quick way to combine your worksheets? Excel provides a tool to make the task easier, but you could also bypass the ...
Discover MoreIf you need to save your Excel data at different benchmarks, you might want to use some sort of "versioning" system. Such ...
Discover MoreYour workbooks can contain many, many worksheets. Which of those worksheets are the largest, however? Here's some ideas ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2019-07-21 22:40:45
Thanks for the tip Allen.
A slight variation that manages any file length:
= RIGHT(CELL("filename"),LEN(CELL("filename")) - FIND("]",CELL("filename")))
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 © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments