Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated November 14, 2024)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
Excel lets you create new worksheets in a number of different ways. What if you want to create a new worksheet and name it all in one step? The easiest way to do this is with a macro. The following is an example of a macro that will ask for a name, and then create a worksheet and give that worksheet the name provided.
Sub AddNameNewSheet1() Dim Newname As String Newname = InputBox("Name for new worksheet?") If Newname <> "" Then Sheets.Add Type:=xlWorksheet ActiveSheet.Name = Newname End If End Sub
This macro works fine, as long as the user enters a worksheet name that is "legal" by Excel standards. If the new name is not acceptable to Excel, the worksheet is still added, but it is not renamed as expected.
A more robust macro would anticipate possible errors in naming a worksheet. The following example code will add the worksheet, but keep asking for a worksheet name if an incorrect one is supplied.
Sub AddNameNewSheet2() Dim CurrentSheetName As String 'Remember where we started CurrentSheetName = ActiveSheet.Name 'Add New Sheet Sheets.Add 'Make sure the name is valid On Error Resume Next 'Get the new name ActiveSheet.Name = InputBox("Name for new worksheet?") 'Keep asking for name if name is invalid Do Until Err.Number = 0 Err.Clear ActiveSheet.Name = InputBox("Try Again!" _ & vbCrLf & "Invalid Name or Name Already Exists" _ & vbCrLf & "Please name the New Sheet") Loop On Error GoTo 0 'Go back to where you started Sheets(CurrentSheetName).Select End Sub
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (10846) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Creating Worksheets with a Macro.
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2021-04-10 06:05:59
Chris
In order to give the user guidance about sheet naming I used the following prompt string for the input box:
Prompt_String = "This will add a new sheet to the left of " & CurrentSheetName _
& vbCrLf _
& vbCrLf & "Enter a name for the new sheet, but note that" _
& vbCrLf & "* these characters are invalid: \ / * [ ] : ? " _
& vbCrLf & "* names longer than 31 characters are invalid," _
& vbCrLf & "* the names of existing sheets cannot be used, and" _
& vbCrLf & "* the name 'History' is invalid."
where I used the rules shown in https://www.accountingweb.com/technology/excel/seven-characters-you-cant-use-in-worksheet-names .
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