Name Manager: Range names made easy

For Microsoft® Excel®

Description

If you are in need of a utility to manage defined names in your Excel models, this one is a must-have. List all names in your active workbook. Filter them using 14 filters, e.g. "With external references", "With errors", Hidden, Visible. Show just names that contain a substring. Show just names unused in worksheet cells. Edit them in a simple dialog or make a list, edit the list and update all names in one go. Delete, hide, unhide selected names with a single mouse click.

Name Manager
See more screenshots here

Created in collaboration with Charles Williams, www.decisionmodels.com and Matthew Henson (mhenson@mac.com) who ensured the utility works on Mac Excel too.

The Name Manager is freeware, all I'd like to ask you is to tell everyone if you like it and to tell me if you don't.

Download

Current Excel versions

This is the one to download if you are on any of these versions: Microsoft 365 (both Windows and Mac, both 32 and 64 bit), Excel for Windows 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, 2007.

Name Manager for most Excel versions V4.5 (Build 706, Feb 21, 2024, downloaded: 130.010 times)

Verison for old Mac systems

GOOD NEWS! Name Manager also works on Mac Excel (if all is well). Just in case this does not apply to your Mac version: for your convenience Name Manager 2.3 (Downloaded: 11.906 times) is still available. Note that unfortunately this version of NM is NOT compatible with Office 2016 for Mac.

Excel on-line version (and desktop)

If you are using Excel online (or Excel in Teams) a lot, you can also use our office-js verison of Name Manager. It has less functionality, but it is the only tool allowing you to define, manage and edit range names in Excel online! Note that this version also works on desktop Excel, which is convenient if your desktop is locked down.

Very old Excel versions

If you're still using one of the antique versions of Excel (97, 2000, XP and 2003) this is your download: Name Manager for very old Excel versions V4.3 (Build 655, Dec 13, 2016 Downloaded: 128.433 times)

Some users get a compile error during load of Name Manager: "Compile Error in hidden module, fxlNameManager".

In such a case, Name Manager will automatically turn off its feature to display a toolbar in the VBA editor.

This error is mostly resolved by running Office Setup from Control Panel, Programs and do a repair of the Office installation.

After doing so, Name Manager should work as expected.

Latest additions (in reverse chronological order:)

  • Now renaming a name ensures Power Query queries are updated
  • Updated the Reset button code to solve an issue with the NM form not appearing
  • Removed 240 character limitation from the Edit RefersTo box
  • Fixed a bug regarding filtering for system names
  • Hid private functions from macro dialog
  • Fixed an issue pertaining to renaming and using the pickup function for users using an international keyboard
  • Fixed a small bug in the Reset button's code
  • Name Manager now works together with Charles Williams Lambda Explorer if you've got that installed
  • Fixed a bug regarding listing all names on a protected workbook
  • Added a workaround for a rare dll error some users get
  • Moved settings to a separate dialog
  • Slightly improved performance
  • Small bugfix
  • When searching for unused names, filtered chart series are now included
  • The VBE Name toolbar now remembers its position
  • Filter names containing Lambda functions

Features:

  • Sorting of names and refersto formulas
  • Functionality to edit names that refer to large multiple areas.
  • Add name dialog
  • Shortcut key (default control-shift-n) to start Name Manager
  • Choice between icons on commandbuttons or text labels (see Screenshot).
  • Rename a name. Name Manager includes a rename option, which will enable you to change the name of a name and have all objects that use that name update too. (this includes VBA)
  • Show where a name is in use:

The Where is a name used dialog of Name Manager

  • International version, screens and messages in national languages:
    • English
    • Danish
    • German
    • French
    • Dutch
    • Brazilian Portuguese
    • Swedish
    • Finnish
    • Spanish
    • Italian
    • Russian
    • And others...
  • Analyse Command, allows partial evaluation of names etc.
  • Many different filter options
  • Options listbox shows options for:
    • Confirm Changes
    • R1C1 Notation
    • GoTo Selected Names
    • Show RefersTo
    • Show Excel System Names
    • Sort Names (sort local names together by sheet)
  • Highlight named Ranges
  • Clear Highlights
  • Form can be resized, including minimise/maximise buttons and moving of splits

Instructions

Download the zip file by clicking the link above that says "NameManager.zip". Unpack the files in the zip file to a folder of your liking and open the file called "Setup Name Manager.xls". Press the button in that file to install.

Click here to request support or issue comments or suggestions on this product.

Note to Lambda developers

I highly recommend the Excel Lambda Explorer for Windows and Mac https://www.decisionmodels.com/FastExcelLambdaExplorer.htm

Excel Lambda Explorer is a FREE Excel Addin tool designed to make it easy to explore, understand and debug Excel Lambda Functions. Lambda Explorer and Name Manager work together: clicking the Name Manager Analyse button will prompt for parameter values for the selected Lambda and then launch Lambda Explorer using these values.

This is what the Excel Lambda Explorer looks like:

Decisionmodels.com Lambda Explorer

Feedback from users

From Jeremy (Assistant Controller):

"I just want to say that your Name Manager has saved our company tons of time and think its a great tool. We had files riddled with hidden names that were causing the files to take forever to open. Not sure why excel's native Name Manager doesn't show hidden names, but love your product and will promote it when I can."


Comments

Showing last 8 comments of 1155 in total (Show All Comments):

 


Comment by: Alan Farthing (22-11-2023 12:12:00) deeplink to this comment

I cant get Name Manager to operate. I have downloaded the latest edition, for my Windows 11 PC, and extracted the files into Downloads\namemanager2007.

I open "Setup Name Manager 2007.xls" in Excel 365 then try to press button "Setup Name Manager" but it does not operate. It seems to go into edit mode i.e. the Move icon shows.

Any advice please?


Comment by: Jan Karel Pieterse (22-11-2023 13:56:00) deeplink to this comment

Hi Alan,

Have you tried the manual installation steps in the instruction manual (included in the file you downloaded)?
Also, please check out this article: https://jkp-ads.com/articles/excel-add-ins-fail-to-load.asp


Comment by: Alan Farthing (22-11-2023 17:16:00) deeplink to this comment

Jan

Thank you for your reply.

I also had to add the extracted files folder to the Trusted Locations in my .xlsm wookbook.

I am running macros on the wookbook.


Comment by: Jan Karel Pieterse (23-11-2023 10:34:00) deeplink to this comment

Hi Alan,

I don't think you should have to add it as a trusted folder, but this depends on your security settings.


Comment by: John Nurick (16-1-2024 05:47:00) deeplink to this comment

Hi Jan Karel,
I too have experienced the problem described by Kedar Kulkarni (26-9-2023 17:29:00). Sometimes, for no apparent reason, when I click the Name Manager button on the Formulas ribbon, the NM window doesn't pop up. I've discovered that sometimes this is because the window is reduced to a tiny title bar that it's very easy to miss among the little icons on a secondary monitor. Sometimes, I can't even find this and have to assume that the NM window is somewhere offscreen. Either way the Reset button doesn't help.

Most recently experienced today with the NM build I downloaded about March 2023 and current Excel for Microsoft 365. Today I downloaded Build 704 and deleted the registry key you specified. NM is back on the screen now. I'll report back in a while.

BTW, could it make a difference that very often I have the Excel window maximised on one monitor and NM on the other?

Many thanks for a very useful piece of software!


Comment by: Jan Karel Pieterse (16-1-2024 10:06:00) deeplink to this comment

Hi John,

We've tried to make NM recall where you last left its window and act accordingly. Unfortunately that is problematic if your screen setup changes for whatever reason. I'll revisit that reset button, perhaps that will fix it.


Comment by: Benji Berg-einhorn (26-2-2024 23:09:00) deeplink to this comment

Problem Need Help!

Hi! Just found this page and downloaded the Name Manager tool. Absolutely love it! Never used anything it!

The tool was working great for the first hour, and it randomly stopped. Every time i try to open it, nothing happens. So far, I've tried:
- disabling / re-enabling
- Deleting and Re-Downloading
- Restarting my computer

Nothing has worked so far. The tool is properly installed (and unblocked), it seems like it's just that the UI won't open. Please assist!


Comment by: Jan Karel Pieterse (26-2-2024 23:48:00) deeplink to this comment

Hi Benji,

Try the reset button on the Formula tab next to the big red N


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