<html><head><title>Addressing by Name</title><meta name="filename" content="text/scalc/guide/address_byname"/><help:css-file-link xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><!--The CSS style header method for setting styles--><style type="text/css">
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<p class="Head1"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="16" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:key-word value="addressing; by names" tag="kw68065_1" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:key-word value="names; in tables" tag="kw68065_4" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:key-word value="cell names; addressing" tag="kw68065_3" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:key-word value="references; by name" tag="kw68065_2" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:to-be-embedded Eid="address_byname" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"><help:link Id="68065">Addressing by Name</help:link></help:to-be-embedded></p>
<p class="Paragraph"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="17" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>A good way of making the references to cells and cell ranges in formulas legible is to give the ranges names. For example, you can name the range A1:B2 <span class="T1">Start</span>. You can then write a formula such as "=SUM(Start)". Even after you insert or delete rows or columns, <help:productname xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">%PRODUCTNAME</help:productname> still correctly assigns the ranges identified by name. Range names must not contain any spaces.</p>
<p class="Paragraph"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="18" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>For example, it is much easier to read a formula for sales tax if you can write <text:s text:c="" xmlns:text="http://openoffice.org/2000/text"/>"= Amount * Tax_rate" instead of "= A5 * B12". In this case, you would name cell A5 "Amount" and cell B12 "Tax_rate."</p>
<p class="Paragraph"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="19" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>In order to specify range names, you must first select the area, then choose the command <span class="T1">Insert - Names - Define</span>, or the <help:switch select="System" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"><help:case select="MAC">Command</help:case><help:default>Ctrl</help:default></help:switch> + F3 key combination. Enter the name for the first range and click <span class="T1">Add</span>. You can also name other cell ranges in this dialog by entering the name in the field and then selecting the respective cells. Use the <span class="T1">Define Names</span> dialog to define names for formulas or parts of formulas you need more often. Close the dialog with OK.</p>
