"A formula or sheet contains the name, which already exists"
Copy a sheet from one workbook to another, and Excel asks the same question fifty times in a row: this name already exists, which one to keep? The names involved are almost all useless.
What the message says
The copied sheet takes along the defined names it uses, or that point to it. When a name with the same name already exists in the destination workbook, Excel asks which to use.
Why it appears
- Defined names piled up through copies, often hidden, sometimes by the hundred.
- Names equal to #REF!, pointing to sheets long gone.
- Names left by add-ins, print settings (Print_Area) or filters.
Making it go away
- In the source workbook: Formulas, Name Manager, delete the useless names before copying.
- Hidden names do not show in the Name Manager: you need a tool or a macro to see them.
- Answering "Yes" keeps the destination's name; "No" asks for a new name.
The tool that handles it
The health check counts defined names, hidden ones included, and removes those that are broken or point to another workbook; Clean before sending also removes the rest of what travels unseen.
Frequently asked questions
- Why can't I see these names in the Name Manager?
- They are hidden (the file's "hidden" attribute): Excel keeps them but does not show them.