Defined names
We often find it desirable to define a group of data as a unified collection. One way to do this is to assign a name to a cell range. As mentioned in Excel Spreadsheets, this may be done by highlighting the range, right-clicking and choosing Name a Range … from the list of options displayed.
An alternative approach is to highlight the range and simply enter the name in the Name Box. You can also list and edit range names via Formulas > Defined Names|Name Manager.
Care should be taken not to assign a name which could be confused with a column label. E.g., for a range of data about the state of Arizona, it might be tempting to use the name AZ. The danger here is that AZ can be confused with the column label AZ.
Tables
A range can also be defined as a table. You create a table via Insert > Tables|Table. A particular type of table called a pivot table is created and managed via Insert > Tables|PivotTable. Although these tables can be quite useful, we won’t employ them further on this website.
References
Microsoft (2024) Define and use names in formulas
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/define-and-use-names-in-formulas-4d0f13ac-53b7-422e-afd2-abd7ff379c64
Microsoft (2024) Use the Name Manager in Excel
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/use-the-name-manager-in-excel-4d8c4c2b-9f7d-44e3-a3b4-9f61bd5c64e4
Microsoft (2024) Overview of Excel tables
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/overview-of-excel-tables-7ab0bb7d-3a9e-4b56-a3c9-6c94334e492c