XL2000: Function Box Has Replaced Name Box and Functionality Has Changed

When you edit a formula in versions of Microsoft Excel earlier than Excel 97, you can click the Name box to select a defined name to use in a formula.

When you edit a formula in Excel 2000 and Excel 97, the Name box disappears and is replaced with the Function box.

The Function box in Excel 2000 and Excel 97 appears in place of the Name box when you begin to edit a formula. It displays the most recently used worksheet function. Click the arrow to the right of the function box to view other available worksheet functions. If you do not see the function that you need, click More Functions at the bottom of the list to display the Paste Function dialog box, which contains all available worksheet functions.

Although there is no way to make the Name box available while editing a formula, you can replicate the earlier functionality. To do so, use the Go To dialog box to place a defined name in a formula.

To do so, follow these steps:

1. Save and close any open workbooks, and then create a new workbook.
2. Type the following values in Sheet1:
   A1: 1
   A2: 2
   A3: 3
3. Select cells A1:A3.
4. On the Insert menu, point to Name, and then click Define. In the Names in workbook box, type TestRange, and then click OK.
   
   Cells A1:A3 are defined as TestRange.
5. Select cell A5 and type the following formula: =SUM(
6. On the Edit menu, click Go To, and then click TestRange. Click OK.
7. Type ) to close the parentheses in the SUM formula, and then press ENTER.

The formula returns a value of 6.

NOTE: This behavior also occurs when you use the Function Wizard. For additional information about the Function Wizard behavior, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

For more information about defining names for use in formulas, click Microsoft Excel Help on the Help menu, type name cells in a workbook in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.