Homework DiscussionHomework 2 (Glade Manual Chapter 2)

Using multiple worksheets in a model

Naming data ranges

• The default approach in Excel is to work with cell names, i.e. =B2*C2

• Alternatively you can give a meaningful name to a range of cells, and then use this name in the formulas, i.e. =Price*Quantity

• Important: formula evaluation is still carried out cell by cell, so the shapes of named ranges need to match

• Creating a named range: Select the cells, type a name in the Name Box (left of the formula bar), press enter

• Using a named range: Type the name during formula composition or select it with FormulasUse in Formula

Absolute vs Relative cell reference

• A relative cell reference (say A4) doesn’t just tell Excel which cell you are referring to, but also a relative distance between the cell in which you type a formula and that cell.

• If you type a formula in B4, referring to A4 also means “one cell to the left”. This relationship is useful when copying formulas from one cell to another.

• For example, after typing a formula in B4, which refers to A4, copy cell B4 into C4. You will see that the formula in C4 now refers to B4 (i.e. refers to “one cell to the left”).

• This relative referencing can be of use, for example for a formula to adapt to a user inserting another cell, column or row, but can also be turned off using absolute cell references

Absolute cell references

• To “lock” to a particular cell, use $ before the letter for the column or before the number for the row, or for both

• To lock to a column, write $A5, for example. Now copying a formula containing that cell reference will not change it to $B5, but could change it to $A6, if copied to a lower row.

• To lock to a row, write A$5, for example. Now copying a formula containing that cell reference will not change it to A$6, but could change it to B$5, if copied to a cell to the right.

• To lock both, write $A$5, for example. This won’t change no matter where in the worksheet the formula is copied.