Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Naming Tabs for Weeks.

Naming Tabs for Weeks

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated December 24, 2022)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365


When you are starting a new workbook, one common scenario calls for creating a year's worth of worksheets, one for each week of the year. In other words, a workbook could end up containing 52 or 53 worksheets, depending on how many weeks there are in a particular year.

If you have a need to create such a workbook, you know that individually creating and naming all the worksheets can be a real hassle. This is where a macro would come in handy. The following macro will add the appropriate number of worksheets, and then rename all of the worksheets according to week number (01 through 52).

Sub YearWorkbook1()
    Dim iWeek As Integer
    Dim sht As Variant

    Application.ScreenUpdating = False
    Worksheets.Add After:=Worksheets(Worksheets.Count), _
      Count:=(52 - Worksheets.Count)
    iWeek = 1
    For Each sht In Worksheets
        sht.Name = "Week " & Format(iWeek, "00")
        iWeek = iWeek + 1
    Next sht
    Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub

If you instead need a way to create worksheets that show the ending date of each week for a year, then a different macro is needed.

Sub YearWorkbook2()
    Dim iWeek As Integer
    Dim sht As Variant
    Dim sTemp As String
    Dim dSDate As Date

    sTemp = InputBox("Date for the first worksheet:", "End of Week?")
    dSDate = CDate(sTemp)
    
    Application.ScreenUpdating = False
    Worksheets.Add After:=Worksheets(Worksheets.Count), _
      Count:=(52 - Worksheets.Count)
    For Each sht In Worksheets
        sht.Name = Format(dSDate, "dd-mmm-yyyy")
        dSDate = dSDate + 7
    Next sht
    Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub

This version of the macro asks you for a beginning date. It then uses that date to start naming the different worksheets in the workbook. If you enter a value that cannot be translated to a date, then the macro will generate an error.

Note:

If you would like to know how to use the macros described on this page (or on any other page on the ExcelTips sites), I've prepared a special page that includes helpful information. Click here to open that special page in a new browser tab.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (12403) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Naming Tabs for Weeks.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Preventing Changes to Styles in Documents

Have you ever created a template only to have the styles within it changed as they were used within a document? Here are ...

Discover More

Copying a Worksheet

Need to make a copy of one of your worksheets? Excel provides a few different ways you can accomplish the task.

Discover More

Exact Formula Copies

When you copy a formula from one cell to another, Excel normally adjusts the cell references within the formula so they ...

Discover More

Program Successfully in Excel! John Walkenbach's name is synonymous with excellence in deciphering complex technical topics. With this comprehensive guide, "Mr. Spreadsheet" shows how to maximize your Excel experience using professional spreadsheet application development tips from his own personal bookshelf. Check out Excel 2013 Power Programming with VBA today!

More ExcelTips (ribbon)

Getting Rid of the Bothersome Lock Symbol

Microsoft added a new feature to Excel that causes a "lock icon" to appear at the left of a worksheet tab if the ...

Discover More

Using Very Long Worksheet Tab Names

Excel places a limit on how many characters you can use in a worksheet name. This tip discusses that limit and provides ...

Discover More

Automatically Renaming Worksheets

Excel allows you to easily add and remove worksheets from a workbook. You may want a way to automatically rename all of ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 7 - 7?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.