Names (a/k/a “Defined Names”, “Named Ranges”, etc.) A Name is what Excel calls a variable that resides in a worksheet or a workbook.

Shadows collide with people (vinyl). Excel spreadsheets often include cell dropdowns to simplify and/or standardize data entry. These dropdowns are created using the data validation feature to specify a list of allowable entries.To set up a simple dropdown list, select the cell where data will be entered, then click Data Validation (on the Data tab), select Data Validation, choose List (under Allow:), and then enter the list items (separated by commas) in the Source: field (see Figure 1).In this type of basic dropdown, the list of allowable entries is specified within the data validation itself; therefore, to make changes to the list, the user must open and edit the data validation. This may be difficult, however, for inexperienced users, or in cases where the list of choices is lengthy.Another option is to place the list in a, and then specify that range name (prefaced with an equal sign) in the Source: field of the data validation (as shown in Figure 2). This second method makes it easier to edit the choices in the list, but adding or removing items can be problematic.