XL98: Microsoft Excel Inserts a Defined Name in Formula

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In earlier versions of Microsoft Excel, if you click a cell while typing a formula, the relative address of the cell appears in the formula. This is true even if the cell you click is referred by one or more defined names.

Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition behaves differently. If you click a cell while typing a formula, the relative address of the cell appears in the formula unless the cell is referred by a defined name. If the cell is referred by a defined name, the defined name appears in the formula instead of the cell address.

Example

To see an example of this behavior, follow these steps:

1. In a new worksheet in Microsoft Excel, type the value 1 in cell A1. Type the value 2 in cell A2.
2. With cell A1 selected, point to Name on the Insert menu, and then click Define.
3. In the Names In Workbook box, type Test, and click OK.
4. Select cell C5.
5. Type an equal sign, click cell A1, and then press RETURN.
   
   In Microsoft Excel 5.0, the formula in cell C5 is =A1. In Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition, the formula in cell C5 is =Test.
6. Select cell C6. Type an equal sign, click cell A2, and then press RETURN.
   
   In Microsoft Excel 5.0 and Microsoft Excel 98, the formula in cell C6 is =A2. Note that this is true in Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition because no defined name refers to cell A2.