How to Create Table of Contents in Excel (6 Suitable Ways)
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We will use a sample dataset, which has 2 Columns, Product and Sales, across 5 worksheets, Dataset, Sales of January, Sales of February, Sales of March, and Sales of April.
Method 1 – Using HYPERLINK Function to Create a Table of Contents in Excel
- Select a different cell (such as B5) where you want to see the contents. The best option is to create the Table of Contents in a new worksheet.
- Enter this formula in the cell.
=HYPERLINK("#'Sales of January'!A1"," January Sales Data")
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Formula Breakdown
- The HYPERLINK function will create a link to go to a particular worksheet.
- Sales of January is the name of the worksheet for which I want to create a link.
- Hash Tag (#) will find the worksheet.
- Exclamatory (!) A1 represents the Cell Location of the Sheet named Sales of January.
- January Sales Data is the Friendly Name which means this name will be in the Content name.
- Press Enter to get the result.
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- Repeat the procedure again for the sheet named Sales of February.
- Use the corresponding formula in the B6:
=HYPERLINK("#'Sales of February'!A1"," February Sales Data")
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- In the same way, you have to write the formula individually in the cells.
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Method 2 – Applying Excel Power Query for Creating a Table of Contents
Steps:
- Go to the worksheet where you want to create a Table of Contents.
- From the Data tab, choose Get Data.
- Select From File and choose From Excel Workbook
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A window named Import Data will appear.
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A dialog box named Navigator will appear.
- Select your Excel file from the dialog box.
- Click on Transform Data. Here, if you don’t select the Excel file, you will not be able to click on the Transform Data.
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You will see the following Power Query Editor window.
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- Right-click on the Name column.
- From the Context Menu Bar, select Remove Other Columns.
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A dialog box named Import Data will appear.
- Select the Existing worksheet. Here, you can choose a New worksheet also. In that case, your Table of Contents will be in a different and new worksheet.
- Choose the Cell location for the Table of Contents. We have chosen B4 as my Cell location.
- Press OK.
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You will see the following Contents.
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To create the link, follow the procedure given below.
- Select a different cell C5 where you want to see the contents.
- Use this formula in C5:
=HYPERLINK("#'"&[@Name]&"'!A1")
Here, we selected the name of the worksheet from cell B5 (Dataset).
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Formula Breakdown
- The HYPERLINK function will create a link to go to a particular worksheet.
- Hash Tag (#) will ensure that the worksheet is in the same workbook.
- @Name denotes the name of the worksheet for which you want to create the link.
- Exclamatory (!) A1 represents the Cell Location of the Sheet named Dataset.
- The Ampersand (&) operator will connect the name and location.
- Create the link for other worksheets.
You will see the following Table of Contents.
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Method 3 – Using the Mouse Cursor to Create a Table of Contents in Excel
Steps:
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- Go to the worksheet named Dataset and right-click on any Cell Border. Don’t release the mouse button.
- Hold the Alt. Don’t release the Alt key.
- Move the Cursor to the worksheet where you keep the Contents.
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- Bring the Cursor to the corresponding content named Dataset.
- Release the Alt key and then release the Mouse Cursor.
- From the Context Menu Bar, select Create Hyperlink Here
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We have attached a GIF.
- Create links for other sheets.
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Method 4 – Applying Keyboard Shortcuts
Steps:
- Select a cell B5 where you want to see the contents.
- Press Ctrl + K.
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A dialog box named Insert Hyperlink will appear.
- From the Place in This Document command, select Dataset under the Cell Reference.
- Write down what you want to see as content in the Text to display/ We have written “Dataset “.
- Press OK.
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You will see the following Content with a link.
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- Similarly, create the link for other worksheets.
You will see the following Table of Contents.
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Method 5 – Use the Context Menu Bar to Create the Table of Contents in Excel
Steps:
- Select a different cell B5 where you want to see the contents and right-click on it.
- From the Context Menu Bar, choose the Link feature, then select the Insert Link
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A dialog box named Insert Hyperlink will appear.
- From the Place in This Document tab, select Dataset under the Cell Reference.
- Write down what you want to see as content in the Text to display. We have written “ Dataset “.
- Press OK.
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You will see the following Content with a link.
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- Create the link for other worksheets.
You will see the following Table of Contents.
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Method 6 – Using VBA Code to Create the Table of Contents
Steps:
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Sub Table_of_contents() Dim Alert_data As Boolean Dim numb As Long Dim Sheet_Index As Worksheet Dim Sheet As Variant Alert_data = Application.DisplayAlerts Application.DisplayAlerts = False On Error Resume Next Sheets("Table of contents").Delete On Error GoTo 0 Set Sheet_Index = Worksheets("VBA") numb = 1 Cells(1, 1).Value = "Table of contents" For Each Sheet In ThisWorkbook.Sheets If Sheet.Name <> "Table of contents" Then numb = numb + 1 Sheet_Index.Hyperlinks.Add Cells(numb, 1), "", "'" & Sheet.Name & "'!A1", , Sheet.Name End If Next Application.DisplayAlerts = Alert_data End Sub
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Code Breakdown
- We have created a Sub Procedure named Table_of_Contents.
- We declared some variables Alert_data as Boolean; numb as Long; Sheet_Index as Worksheet; Sheet as Variant.
- If there is any Table of Contents in the active worksheet, the Delete command will delete that.
- We have set the worksheet name as VBA where the Table of Contents will present.
- We used a For Each Loop to include all the worksheets in the Table of Contents.
- Save the code then go back to Excel File.
- Go to the Developer tab and select Macros.
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- Select the Macro name (Table_of_Contents) and click on Run.
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You will see the following Table of Contents which has all the worksheets.
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Download the Practice Workbook
Create Table of Contents.xlsm
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