Are you tired of trying to keep track of different data ranges in your Google Sheets? Do you need a way to visually distinguish between important named ranges in your spreadsheet? Look no further! In this article, we will show you how to highlight named ranges in Google Sheets using a simple custom formula in the Conditional Formatting feature. Get ready to take your spreadsheet organization to the next level!
Why Highlight Named Ranges?
Before we dive into the step-by-step process, let’s take a moment to understand why highlighting named ranges can be beneficial. By highlighting named ranges, you can:
- Easily spot and differentiate important data ranges in your sheet.
- Avoid confusion when working with large datasets.
- Improve readability and clarity for yourself and others who view your spreadsheet.
Adding Named Ranges in Google Sheets
To begin, let’s add two named ranges for demonstration purposes. For example, let’s say you have a range of employee details in cells B2:F11, and you want to designate this range as “employee.” Additionally, you want to highlight a specific column within this range, namely D2:D11, as “age.” Here’s how you can achieve this:
- Navigate to Data > Named ranges in your Google Sheets.
- Enter “employee” and “B2:F11” in the corresponding fields and click on “Done.”
- To add the second named range, choose “+ Add a range” and input “age” and “D2:D11” in the respective fields, then click “Done.”
By following these steps, you have successfully added named ranges to your Google Sheets.
The Generic Formula to Highlight Named Ranges
Now that you have your named ranges set up, it’s time to create a formula that will highlight these ranges. We will start with a generic formula and then customize it to fit your specific named ranges. Here’s the generic formula:
=ARRAYFORMULA( AND( AND( ROW()>=MIN(ROW(INDIRECT("named_range"))), ROW()<=MAX(ROW(INDIRECT("named_range"))) ), COLUMN()>=MIN(COLUMN(INDIRECT("named_range"))), COLUMN()<=MAX(COLUMN(INDIRECT("named_range"))) ) )
In this formula, you’ll notice four instances of the string “named_range.” When applying this generic formula, make sure to replace these instances with the actual names of your named ranges as needed.
Adding Highlight Rules for Named Ranges
Now that we have our generic formula, let’s add highlight rules for our named ranges “employee” and “age.” Follow these steps:
Note: Assume you are testing this on the “Sheet1” tab, which has 26 columns and 1000 rows. Make sure to apply the highlight rules in the range A1:Z1000.
- Go to Format > Conditional Formatting in your Google Sheets.
- Enter A1:Z1000 (the entire range in “Sheet1”) in the “Apply to the range” field.
- Select “Custom formula” under “Format rules” and input the generic formula we provided earlier.
- Replace all instances of “named_range” in the formula with “employee” (scroll down to see the formula).
- Choose your desired “Formatting style” and click “Done.”
To add the second rule:
- Repeat steps 1 to 5 above.
- In the 4th step, replace “named_range” with “age.”
- In the 5th step, choose a different formatting style.
By following these steps, you have successfully added conditional format rules to highlight your named ranges in Google Sheets.
Anatomy of the Formula
Let’s take a closer look at the formula we used to highlight the named range “employee” for testing purposes:
=ARRAYFORMULA( AND( AND( ROW()>=MIN(ROW(INDIRECT("employee"))), ROW()<=MAX(ROW(INDIRECT("employee"))) ), COLUMN()>=MIN(COLUMN(INDIRECT("employee"))), COLUMN()<=MAX(COLUMN(INDIRECT("employee"))) ) )
This formula utilizes several Google Sheets functions to achieve the desired highlighting effect. Instead of explaining the role of each function individually, let’s understand them in a combined form.
The INDIRECT function plays a crucial role in the formula as it deals with a string (the name of a range). It is essential to use it when incorporating a named range for highlighting purposes.
When combined with the ROW or COLUMN functions, it provides the respective row and column numbers within the specified range. For example:
=ARRAYFORMULA(ROW(INDIRECT("employee")))
The above formula returns the row numbers in the “employee” range, while the following one returns the column numbers:
=ARRAYFORMULA(COLUMN(INDIRECT("employee")))
The MIN and MAX functions are employed with these two formulas to determine the starting and ending row and column numbers in the “employee” range. The formulas would return 2, 11, 2, and 6, representing the minimum row number, maximum row number, minimum column number, and maximum column number, respectively.
The highlight rule evaluates each cell in the range A1:Z1000 and checks if:
- The row number is between 2 and 11, inclusive.
- The column number is between 2 and 6, inclusive.
If the evaluation is TRUE, the formula highlights the cell accordingly.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You’ve learned how to highlight named ranges in Google Sheets using a custom formula in the Conditional Formatting feature. By following these steps, you can improve the organization and readability of your spreadsheets, making it easier to navigate and understand your data.
If you want to discover more tips and tricks for mastering Google Sheets, check out Crawlan.com for additional resources and insights. Happy highlighting!
