Dynamic H&V Named Range in Google Sheets

Have you ever wondered how to create a dynamic H&V named range in Google Sheets? Well, you’re in luck! In this article, I will share with you a simple formula that will automatically expand your range as you add values to the first row or column.

What is a Dynamic H&V Named Range?

A dynamic H&V (horizontal and vertical) named range in Google Sheets is a range that adjusts its size based on the values you add or remove in the first row or column. For example, if your current data range is A1:G20 and you add a value to cell A25, the range will automatically become A1:G25. Similarly, if you add a value to cell K1, the range will become A1:K25. This dynamic responsiveness is achieved by using a special formula that takes into account the values in the topmost row and leftmost column of the range.

How to Create a Dynamic Named Range in Google Sheets with Respect to Row

To create a dynamic vertical named range with respect to rows in Google Sheets, you just need to follow these simple steps:

1. Specify the cell reference of the first cell in the column where the data begins (e.g., “B2”).
2. Specify the sheet name.
3. Use the following formula:

=LET(first_cell,"B2", sheet_name,"Sheet1", range,REGEXEXTRACT(first_cell,"[A-Z]"), sheet_name&"!"&first_cell&":"&range& XMATCH("?*",ARRAYFORMULA(TO_TEXT(INDIRECT(sheet_name&"!"&range&":"&range))),2,-1))

4. Enter the formula in any cell outside the column you want to use.
5. Go to the Data menu > Named ranges > Add a range.
6. In the Name field, enter “dynamicVertRange”.
7. In the Refers to field, enter the cell reference of the cell that contains the formula (e.g., Sheet1!D3).
8. Click Done.

How to Use the Dynamic Named Range

To use the dynamic named range, you need to place double quotes around it and wrap it with the INDIRECT function. For example, if you want to sum up the data in the range, you can use the following formula:

=SUM(INDIRECT("dynamicVertRange"))

To test whether it’s working, you can enter a value in a cell within the range (e.g., B9) and see if the formula returns the correct sum.

Create a Dynamic Named Range with Respect to Column

To create a dynamic horizontal named range with respect to columns, follow these steps:

1. Specify the cell reference of the first cell in the row where the data begins (e.g., “C1”).
2. Specify the sheet name.
3. Use the following formula:

=LET(first_cell,"C1", sheet_name,"Sheet1", range,REGEXREPLACE(first_cell,"[A-Z]",""), sheet_name&"!"&first_cell&":"&ADDRESS(ROW(INDIRECT(first_cell)), XMATCH("?*",INDEX(TO_TEXT(INDIRECT(sheet_name&"!"&JOIN(":",range,range)))),2,-1),4))

4. Enter the formula in any cell other than row 1 (the row where you want to create the dynamic named range).
5. Create a named range from Data > Named ranges that points to the cell with the formula (e.g., E5). You can name the range “dynamicHorizRange”.

How to Create a Dynamic H&V Named Range in Google Sheets

A dynamic H&V named range is responsive to both rows and columns, making it a two-dimensional range. There are two approaches you can take to create a dynamic H&V named range:

1. Do not use the first column (A:A) and first row (1:1) for data entry. You can place the formula in cell A1, and the range will be automatically adjusted as you add more rows at the bottom and more columns at the right.
2. If you want to use the full sheet for data entry, enter the formula in a different sheet.

To create a dynamic H&V named range, follow these steps:

1. Specify the first cell of the range (e.g., “C4”) and the sheet name.
2. Use the following formula:

=LET(first_cell,"C4", sheet_name,"Sheet1", rangeC,REGEXEXTRACT(first_cell,"[A-Z]"), rangeR,REGEXREPLACE(first_cell,"[A-Z]",""), sheet_name&"!"&first_cell&":"&ADDRESS(XMATCH("?*", INDEX(TO_TEXT(INDIRECT(sheet_name&"!"&rangeC&":"&rangeC))),2,-1),XMATCH("?*", INDEX(TO_TEXT(INDIRECT(sheet_name&"!"&JOIN(":",rangeR,rangeR)))),2,-1),4))

3. Create a named range from Data > Named ranges that points to cell A1. You can name the range “dynamicRange”.

Conclusion

Named ranges are a handy tool for creating cleaner formulas in Google Sheets. By using dynamic named ranges, you can add flexibility to your range as it automatically adjusts with the addition or removal of values in the first row, first column, or both. This allows for easier data management and analysis. So go ahead and give these formulas a try in your own Google Sheets!

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