XL5: Can't Reference Name in Closed Excel 4.0 Workbook

 Last reviewed: September 12, 1996
Article ID: Q111983
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 5.0

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel version 5.0, if you reference a name on a closed Microsoft Excel version 4.0 workbook, and the name is defined on a worksheet other than the first worksheet in the workbook, you receive the following error message 

   'name' on 'WORKBOOK' is not defined or is too complex
where name is the name you are referencing, and WORKBOOK is the name of the workbook that contains the name you are referencing. This error message appears when you create the reference as well as when you update the reference.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was corrected in Microsoft Excel for Windows version 5.0c.

WORKAROUND

To avoid receiving this error message when referencing a Microsoft Excel version 4.0 workbook, do any of the following:

  • When referencing names on a worksheet other than the first worksheet in the workbook, open the Microsoft Excel version 4.0 workbook before you create or update the reference.

    -or-

  • Use a cell reference instead of a named reference. For example, to reference cell A1 on Sheet2 in WORKBOOK.XLW, use the following formula: 

          =[WORKBOOK.XLW]Sheet2!$A$1

KBCategory: kbprb
KBSubcategory:

Additional reference words: 5.00 err msg



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Last reviewed: September 12, 1996
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