In this lesson, you will learn how to select and name cell ranges.
A range is a rectangular group of connected cells. The cells in a range may all be in a column, or a row, or any combination of columns and rows, as long as the range forms a rectangle, as shown in Figure 10.1. Learning how to use ranges can save you time. For example, you can select a range and use it to format a group of cells with one step. You can use a range to print only a selected group of cells. You can also use ranges in formulas.
Ranges are referred to by their anchor points (the top left corner and the lower right corner). For example, the ranges shown in Figure 10.1 are B4:F7, A9:F9, and G2.
To select a range, use the mouse:
Figure 10.1
A range is any combination of cells that forms a rectangle.
There are various selecting techniques that you can use to select arrange on a worksheet.
You can select cells that are next to each other, and you can select noncontiguous
ranges (ranges that aren't next to each other). You can also select an entire row,
column, or worksheet with one click. The selecting techniques are shown in Table
10.1.
Selection | Technique |
Cell | Click the cell you want to select. |
Range | Click the first cell in the range. Hold down the left mouse button and drag across the cells you want to include. |
Noncontiguous ranges | Select the first range. Hold down the Ctrl key and select the next range. Do this for each range you want to select. |
Row | Click on the row heading number at the left edge of the worksheet. You also can press Shift+Spacebar. |
Column | Click on the column heading letter at the top edge of the worksheet. You also can press Ctrl+Spacebar. |
Entire worksheet | Click the Select All button (the blank rectangle in the upper left corner of the worksheet above row 1 and left of column A). You also can press Ctrl+A. |
Range that is out of view | Press F5 (Goto) and type the range address in the Reference text box. For example, to move to cell Z50, type Z50 and press Enter. To select the range R100 to T250, type R100:T250 and press Enter. |
Panic Button: Deselecting the Selection To remove the selection, click on any cell in the worksheet.
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 13). 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:
=INCOMEEXPENSES
to 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 11. To name a cell range:
Another way to name a range is to select it and then open the Insert menu, and
select Name, Define. This displays the Define Name dialog box, shown in Figure 10.3.
Type a name in the Names in Workbook text box, and click on OK.
Figure 10.2
Type a name in the name box.
The Define Name dialog box allows you to see what range a range name contains. Click
on a range name in the Names in Workbook list. You'll see the cell address(es) assigned
to the range name in the Refers To text box.
The dollar signs in the cell addresses indicate absolute cell references, which always refer to the same cell. An absolute cell reference will not be adjusted if changes are made to those cells in the worksheet (see Lesson 14). You don't have to type the dollar signs in the cell address. When you select cells with the mouse, Excel inserts the dollar signs automatically.
This dialog box also lets you delete names. To delete a range name, click on a
name in the Names in Workbook list, click on the Delete button.
Figure 10.3
The Define Name dialog box.
In this lesson, you learned how to select and name ranges. In the next lesson, you
will learn how to copy, move, and erase data.
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