Google Spreadsheet’s new Named and Protected Range feature disappoints

This morning, upon logging in to review my Stock Portfolio Tracker, I noticed a present surprise.

For those who are new to this site, Stock Portfolio Tracker helps investors keep track of their long term dividend stock holdings, showing buy, sells, dividends and splits by transactions. The spreadsheet is entirely free and donation funded.

You can view the spreadsheet [here] and how to use it [here]. If you wish to donate to keep it alive you can help me [here].

Google spreadsheet added a feature that exist in excel called Named and Protected Range. You can view what it does [here].

I thought it’s a great feature as it can name a range of cells and mark it for data validation.

With that I can set the Stock Name data validation to “=StockName”, Every time I change the range from cell A1:A10 to B1: B10, I do not have to worry.

Alas, the named range does not work with data validation! How stupid is that.

Part of the problem with data validation is that it cannot take the named range.

Another major problem is that I cannot name a range such as B2:B Such that as I expand more rows, this named range will point to the expanded rows.

I guess Google is trying to improve it but have not reach that point of sophistication.

So for now, not much change is carried out on my Stock Portfolio Tracker.

I will keep updating my Stock Portfolio Tracker from time to time so stay tuned.