- Select the cells that you want to contain the lists.
- On the ribbon, click DATA > Data Validation.
- In the dialog, set Allow to List.
- Click in Source, type the text or numbers (separated by commas, for a comma-delimited list) that you want in your drop-down list, and click OK.
How do you create a drop down menu in Excel?
To create your own drop-down list for the cell, do the following:
- Create a column or a row of the items in the active spreadsheet for the drop-down list.
- Select the cell that needs a drop-down list for data validation (cell B2, in this example).
- On the Data tab, in the Data Tools group, click Data Validation : or
How to quickly create dynamic drop down list in Excel?
Now we create the dynamic drop down list in cell D9, follow the steps given below :-
- Select the cell D9
- Open Data Validation dialog box , by pressing the key ALT+D+L
- In Allow drop down list, select List
- And then enter this function =INDIRECT (“Table1”) in source tab
How to auto update drop down list in Excel?
Drop down list auto populate with VLOOKUP function. Please do as follows to auto populate other cells when selecting in drop down list. 1. Select a blank cell that you want to auto populate the corresponding value. 2. Copy and paste the below formula into into it, and then press the Enter key.
How do you drop down a formula in Excel?
Here’s the quickest way to set up a drop down menu in Excel:
- In your Excel workbook, select the cells that you want to apply the drop down menu to.
- Click on the Data Validation menu (in the Data tab in the Excel Ribbon), or use the shortcut Alt-A-V-V.
- In the “Allow:” dropdown menu, select “List”.
- In the “Source:” box, enter in your values separated by commas.
- Click OK to save the Data Validation options. ...
How do you get to the drop down menu?
0:001:32How to add a drop-down list in Microsoft Excel - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd choose data then data validation. In the data validation pop-up menu that appears i'll selectMoreAnd choose data then data validation. In the data validation pop-up menu that appears i'll select the drop down menu.
What is drop-down list in Excel?
An Excel drop down list[1] is a data validation function that allows users to select an option from a list of choices. It can be particularly useful in performing financial modeling and analysis by incorporating scenarios and making a spreadsheet more dynamic.
What is the use of drop-down list?
A drop-down list (abbreviated drop-down, or DDL; also known as a drop-down menu, drop menu, pull-down list, picklist) is a graphical control element, similar to a list box, that allows the user to choose one value from a list. When a drop-down list is inactive, it displays a single value.
What option is used to add a drop down menu on a cell?
Select the cell in the worksheet where you want the drop-down list. Go to the Data tab on the Ribbon, then click Data Validation. On the Settings tab, in the Allow box, click List. If it's OK for people to leave the cell empty, check the Ignore blank box.
What is data validation used for?
Excel data validation is a feature that allows you to control the type of data entered into your worksheet. For example, Excel data validation allows you to limit data entries to a selection from a dropdown list and to restrict certain data entries, such as dates or numbers outside of a predetermined range.
How can I create a drop down list in Excel 2010?
How to Make a Drop Down in Excel 2010Create the list for the dropdown.Select the items, enter a name, then press Enter.Click the cell where the dropdown should be.Choose the Data tab.Click Data Validation.Choose the List option.Type an “=” sign, then the Name from step 2.Click the OK button.
How do you create a drop down list in Excel with color?
Click on the cell or select the range of cells in which you want to add the drop-down list. Select the "Data" tab, click "Data Validation" and choose "Data Validation." Choose "List" in the Allow section. Click inside the "Source" box and select the cells containing the list you created. Click "OK."
Where is data validation Excel 2019?
In the "Data" menu tab, The data validation button can be found in the "Data Tools" section. The tools do not have textual labels, so you must hover your mouse over each button to find the data validation tool. The data validation button has an arrow on the right of it that displays a dropdown with a list of options.
How to Create a Drop-Down List in Excel?
Click on the data menu and choose the data validation menu as shown below.
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How to edit a drop down in Excel?
Open the Excel spreadsheet file you want to edit. You can find and double-click a saved Excel file on your computer, or open Microsoft Excel and create a new worksheet. Enter the list of values for your drop-down in a column. Make sure to enter each drop-down entry in a separate, consecutive cell in the same column.
What is in cell dropdown?
In-cell dropdown option. When this option is checked, you will create a drop-down list in the selected cell on your spreadsheet.
How to type drop down list?
When typing the list of items for your drop-down list, type them in the order in which you want them to appear in the drop-down menu. For example, you can type your entries in alphabetical order to make it easier for users to find certain items or values.
What does "show error alert" mean?
Show error alert... option. When this option is checked, an error message will pop up when a user types invalid data into the drop-down cell.
What is the Show input message option?
Show input message... option. This option allows you to display a tiny pop-up message when the drop-down is selected.
What does "ignore blank" mean?
Ignore blank option (optional). When this option is checked, users will be able to leave the drop-down empty without an error message.
Can you access data validation if you have a protected document?
You will not be able to access the "Data Validation" menu if your worksheet is protected or shared. In this case, make sure to remove the protection or unshare the document, and then try to access the Data Validation menu again.
Create a drop-down list using existing data
If you want to create and insert a drop-down list using data already entered in the spreadsheet, follow the steps below.
Create a drop-down list by defining the list of values
If you want to create and insert a drop-down list, and define the list of values to display, follow the steps below.
How to add drop down menu in Excel?
Here’s the quickest way to set up a drop down menu in Excel: In your Excel workbook, select the cells that you want to apply the drop down menu to. Click on the Data Validation menu (in the Data tab in the Excel Ribbon), or use the shortcut Alt-A-V-V. In the “Allow:” dropdown menu, select “List”. In the “Source:” box, enter in your values separated ...
How to create a table in Excel?
Select the data range you just entered (including the heading), and create an Excel Table by going to Insert > Table from the Excel Ribbon, or by using the shortcut Ctrl + T. Click OK when the dialog box appears.
What does "drop down menu" mean in Excel?
It means you can simply refer to a column within an Excel table, and the menu will automatically update based on the items in that list. If you anticipate adding extra items to your drop down menu over time, then this method is the best long-term solution as it’s the “cleanest” way to refer to your list of menu items.
What is method 3 in Excel?
Method #3 requires you to create an Excel Table, but is perfect for creating a foolproof drop down Excel menu that can handle anything you throw at it.
What if you want to update your menu items later?
What if you want to update your menu items later? If one of the departments in your company has a name change, then you would have to select all of the cells that use the drop down menu, and manually update the details .
Where is the data validation menu in Excel?
The Data Validation menu is in the Data tab in the Excel Ribbon:
Which is better: drop down list or drop down menu?
Drop down list method #1 is the quickest way, but not very good for long-term Excel files. Method #2 is a little more stable and allows you to consistently edit the drop down menu items without breaking anything. Method #3 requires you to create an Excel Table, but is perfect for creating a foolproof drop down Excel menu ...
What is a drop down menu?
A drop down list is actually a tiny window from where you can peek into some other data you have constructed. This also gives you the possibility of controlling exactly what can be entered into a cell. This makes the drop-down menu a very common and powerful data validation tool.
How long does it take to create a drop down menu?
With some practice, you can almost create these drop-downs instantly. I’ve managed to create one in a mere 15 seconds.
Is it easy to create a drop down menu?
Luckily, creating a drop-down menu is super easy if you know the exact steps.
How to create a drop down list in Excel?
To create a drop-down list in Excel, execute the following steps. 1. On the second sheet, type the items you want to appear in the drop-down list. Note: if you don't want users to access the items on Sheet2, you can hide Sheet2. To achieve this, right click on the sheet tab of Sheet2 and click on Hide.
How to add a drop down list to the end of a list?
You can also use a formula that updates your drop-down list automatically when you add an item to the end of the list. 1. On the first sheet, select cell B1. 2. On the Data tab, in the Data Tools group, click Data Validation. The 'Data Validation' dialog box appears. 3.
How to allow other entries in Excel?
Allow Other Entries. You can also create a drop-down list in Excel that allows other entries. 1. First, if you type a value that is not in the list, Excel shows an error alert. To allow other entries, execute the following steps. 2. On the Data tab, in the Data Tools group, click Data Validation.
How to create dependent drop down list?
For example, if the user selects Pizza from a first drop-down list. 2. A second drop-down list contains the Pizza items. 3. But if the user selects Chinese from the first drop-down list, the second drop-down list contains the Chinese dishes.
What is indirect function in Excel?
Explanation: the INDIRECT function in Excel converts a text string into a valid reference.
Can you store items in an Excel table?
You can also store your items in an Excel table to create a dynamic drop-down list.
How to add drop down list in Excel?
Drop-down lists make it easier and more efficient to enter data into your spreadsheets. Simply click the arrow and select an option. You can add drop-down lists to cells in Excel containing options such as Yes and No, Male and Female, or any other custom list of options.
What happens if you remove a drop down list?
If there was an option selected when you removed the drop-down list, the cell is populated with the value of that option.
Where is the range you selected in step 1?
The range you have selected in step 1 is displayed in the Apply to box. You can change the range as you need;
Can you select multiple items in a drop down list?
By default, a drop-down list cell only allows selecting an item per time . In many cases, you may need to select multiple items from a drop-down list, here we provide a VBA method in details for you to easily create drop-down list with multiple selections in Excel. Click to know more...
Can you create a drop down list in Excel?
Here highly recommend the Create simple drop-down list utility of Kutools for Excel. With this tool, you can easily create a simple drop down list with several clicks only.
What is a comma separated drop down list?
A comma-separated drop-down list is the one under which you have defined list variables manually using a comma to separate them. Suppose you have some questions to the person who came for an interview in your company; those questions are having polar answers (Yes/NO/May Be). You can see the image below for better generalization.
How to edit drop down boxes in Excel?
all cells which have a drop-down box is applied, and you wanted to edit. From Excel Ribbon, click Data tab > Data Validation.
How to get name manager in Excel?
From the excel ribbon, go to Formula tab > Name Manager (or press Ctrl + F3 simultaneously).
Why are drop down lists useful?
Excel drop-down lists are very useful to view a large amount of data in a small area. They also allow you to add limitations for users to make any additional changes other than recommended. There might be some situations where you, being a source, wanted to update the contents of drop-down lists.
What is the best source to create a drop down list?
A drop-down list based on table ranges is the best source to create a drop-down list as it allows the drop-down list to update automatically as soon as we add the entries to the data table. Which advantage is not seen in any other method.
Can you see drop down list in table?
You can see the drop-down list, which we have created, giving the table Employee Names as a source. When you add an entry at the last of the table (for example, Mohan), the drop-down list automatically gets updated, and you don’t need to update it manually (Like it was the case in Comma Separated and Named Range drop-down list). This is an added benefit of the drop-down list generated using the table as a source.
Can you edit a drop down list based on a table range?
The answer is yes! However, there is no conventional way to edit the drop-down list based on a Table Range. The reason behind it is, when we use Table as a source/range to a drop-down list, the range gets fixed under Name Manager. You can’t edit the range there.
What The Excel Drop Down Menu Looks Like
- Open the Excel spreadsheet file you want to edit. You can find and double-click a saved Excel file on your computer, or open Microsoft Excel and create a new worksheet.
- Enter the list of values for your drop-down in a column. Make sure to enter each drop-down entry in a separate, consecutive cell in the same column. For example, if you want your drop-down list to include "New York," "Boston," and "Los Angeles," you can type "New York" in cell A…
Introducing The Data Validation Menu
Process
Benefits
What’s The Solution?
- You can’t create a drop down list in Excel without using the Data Validation feature. Think of Data Validation is a restriction or limitation that Excel applies to the cells you specify. You can choose the criteria, of course. You can force cells to be integers, dates, or values from a specific list (which is what you’ll be using for creating these menus) and a few other options. The Data V…
Even More Benefits!
- Here’s the quickest way to set up a drop down menu in Excel: 1. In your Excel workbook, select the cells that you want to apply the drop down menu to. 2. Click on the Data Validation menu (in the Data tab in the Excel Ribbon), or use the shortcut Alt-A-V-V. 3. In the “Allow:” dropdown menu, select “List”. 4. In the “Source:” box, enter in your valu...