Article ID: 167379
Article Last Modified on 12/5/2001
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft Excel 97 Standard Edition
This article was previously published under Q167379
SYMPTOMS
When you use a natural language formula to reference cells, the result is a #NAME? error.
CAUSE
This problem occurs when the data the formula refers to is returned from either of the following:
- a link -or-
- an external database
WORKAROUND
If a formula that uses a natural language reference returns a #NAME? error after you update data from an external database, do the following to recalculate the formula:
- Click the cell that contains the #NAME? error.
- Press F2, and then press ENTER.
STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.
MORE INFORMATION
When you use natural language formulas, it is not necessary to create defined names or determine the cell ranges in advance. Microsoft Excel 97 determines the range based on the row and column labels that you provide in the table on your worksheet.
You can link data to a Microsoft Excel workbook in the following ways:
- Use a dynamic data exchange (DDE) link from a different program, such as Microsoft Word or Microsoft Powerpoint.
- Create a link from one workbook to another.
- Create a linked reference from one cell to another within the same workbook.
In Microsoft Excel, you can access data from an external database in the following ways:
- Use the Microsoft Query add-in to return data to a worksheet.
- Create a PivotTable that uses external data.
- Use the Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) add-in in a macro.
Example
To set up an example that demonstrates the problem, type the following data in a worksheet:
A1: B1: Quarter1 C1: Quarter2
A2: North B2: 100 C2: 120
A3: West B3: 110 C3: 130
A4: East B4: 120 C4: 140
A5: South B6: 130 C5: 150
In this example, the following formula returns the value 240 for the sum of quarters 1 and 2 for the West region:
= Sum('West')
However, if your data is linked or from an external data source and you update the data, the formula returns #NAME?. For additional information about using natural language formulas, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
161881 XL97: How to Use Natural Language Formulas
REFERENCES
For more information about natural language formulas, click the Index tab in Help, type the following text
labels, in formulas
and then double-click the selected text to go to the "Learn about labels and names in formulas" topic.
Additional query words: 97 XL97 calc recalc calculate update Refreshing
Keywords: kbprb KB167379
