What it does
Shows an auto-complete search form that can find macros, LAMBDA functions, files, sheets, and named ranges to help you quickly run commands, and navigate your workbooks.

When to use it
When you want to search for commands to run that you don’t have a keyboard shortcut defined for.

Why to use it
This brings together several auto-complete search boxes in one, while still being able to manage the searched items just like those separate search boxes (example: set/unset keyboard shortcuts for macros or favorite them).  This effectively makes it one super-powerful shortcut to all kinds of common commands.

Default shortcut
Ctrl+Shift+W

Other Details

• Category: Productivity / Other
• Difficulty: 2/5
• Usage/frequency: 5/5
• Automation factor: 4/5 (estimated 30 seconds saved each time used)
• Type: Shortcut
• Date added: 4/21/2025
• Tags: search, auto complete, shortcut, macros, LAMBDA, files, sheets, named ranges

Related Macros
Search Macros
Search LAMBDA Formulas
Search Recent Files
Sheet Action Picker
Search Named Ranges

Other Articles
None

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Instructions

Run the Global Search macro.  It will prompt you with a search form offering you suggestions as you type.  Use the up and down arrows (or click with the mouse) to select a suggested item and insert the entire name in the search box.  When the entire name is in the search box, press the Enter key to perform the related action (run a macro, add a Lambda function, open a file, or jump to a sheet/named range).  When the entire name is in the search box, details of the item and related actions are displayed based on what type it is (i.e. for a macro, the keyboard shortcut (if any), category, description, and other details are displayed).

The search results contain an abbreviation so you can tell the different items apart:

• ma – macros
• la – LAMBDA functions
• fi – files
• sh – sheets within the active workbook
• na – named ranges within the active workbook

Press the Escape key to clear the search box.  If the search box is empty when you press the Escape key, the search box will close.  You can also clear the search box by pressing the X icon to the right of the search box.  Item-specific details are described below.

Macros

The actions you can take that mirror the Search Macros box are:

• Run a macro
• Include active workbook macros (toggle on/off)
• Save/filter your favorite macros
• Set/unset keyboard shortcuts
• Set UI shortcuts

LAMBDA Functions

The actions you can take that mirror the Search Lambda Formulas box are:

• Add a LAMBDA function (or a group of them) from your library to your active workbook
• Toggle the auto-save Lambda to library setting
• Remove one or more Lambda functions from your library
• Manage your Lambda library in bulk

Recent Files

The actions you can take that mirror the Search Recent Files box are:

• Open a file last saved from within your specified time range
• Save/filter your favorite files
• Remove one or more files from the file history.

Sheets

Searching sheets mirrors the Search Sheets macro (also an option in the Sheet Action Picker) – giving you the ability to jump to any sheet in the active file (including hidden or deeply hidden sheets).  The visibility status and tab color of all sheets is displayed when you navigate through the search results.

Named Ranges

Searching named ranges mirrors the Search Named Ranges box – giving you the ability to jump to any named range in the active file.  The underlying reference is displayed when you navigate through the search results.