XL97: Microsoft Excel Inserts a Defined Name in Formula

• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel 97, if you type a formula and click a cell in order to add the cell address to the formula, a defined name may appear in the formula instead of the address of the cell you clicked.

CAUSE

This behavior may occur if the cell you click is a cell that is referenced by a defined name. In this case, Microsoft Excel 97 inserts the valid defined name.

WORKAROUND

To work around this behavior, manually type the cell address in the formula. For example, if you want to type a formula in cell B1, instead of typing an equal sign (=) and clicking cell A1, type "=A1" (without the quotation marks), and then press ENTER.

It is not possible to prevent Microsoft Excel 97 from inserting the defined name if you click a cell that is referenced by a defined name.

MORE INFORMATION

In earlier versions of Microsoft Excel, if you click a cell while typing a formula, the relative address of the cell appears in the formula. This is true even if the cell you click is referred by one or more defined names.

Microsoft Excel 97 behaves differently. If you click a cell while typing a formula, the relative address of the cell appears in the formula unless the cell is referred by a defined name. If the cell is referred by a defined name, the defined name may appear in the formula instead of the cell address.

Example

1. In a new worksheet in Microsoft Excel, type the value 1 in cell A1. Type the value 2 in cell A2.

2. With cell A1 selected, point to Name on the Insert menu, and then click Define.

3. In the "Names in Workbook" box, type "Test" (without the quotation marks), and click OK.

4. Select cell C5.

5. Type an equal sign, click cell A1, and then press ENTER.

   In Microsoft Excel 5.0 and 7.0, the formula in cell C5 is "=A1"(without the quotation marks). In Microsoft Excel 97, the formula in cell C5 is "=Test" (without the quotation marks).

6. Select cell C6. Type an equal sign, click cell A2, and then press ENTER.

   In Microsoft Excel 5.0, 7.0, and Microsoft Excel 97, the formula in cell C6 is "=A2" (without the quotation marks). This is true in Microsoft Excel 97 because no defined name refers to cell A2.