If you find yourself repeatedly typing cryptic cell addresses, such as Sheet3!A1:AJ51, into formulas, don’t worry—Excel has a better way. Assign a short, memorable name to any popular cell or range, and then use that name instead of the cryptogram in formulas.

After you define names in a worksheet, those names are made available to any other worksheets in the workbook. A name defining a cell range in Sheet6, for example, is available for use in formulas in Sheet1, Sheet2, and so on in the workbook. As a result, each workbook contains its own set of names. You can also define worksheet-level names that are available only on the worksheet in which they are defined.

Tip: Do not define names for simple tables In a simple table with row and column headings, you can use the headings themselves in formulas located in the same rows and columns, without first having to define names.