You can make data entry easier by adding a drop down list on an Excel worksheet.
In most cases, you want people to select an item from the list, to prevent typos and invalid entries. If they try to type something that's not in the list, they'll see an error message, and will have to try again.
Allow Non-List Entries
In some workbooks though, you might want to allow other entries in those cells, in addition to the items in the drop down list.
To allow other entries, you can turn off the Error Alerts in the data validation cells.
To turn off Error Alerts:
- Select all the data validation cells
- On the Ribbon, click the Data tab, and click Data Validation
- Click the Error Alert tab
- Remove the check mark from "Show error alert after invalid data is entered"
- Click OK to close the Data Validation box.
With error alerts turned off, you will be able to edit the cell, after selecting an item in the drop down list, or enter any value in the cell.
Data Validation Tips
For more data validation tips, please visit my Contextures website, where I've recently updated the Data Validation Intro page, for Excel 2010. It includes the steps for inserting a named table, and using that dynamic list as the source for the drop down list items.
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That [F3] tip on the website to insert a named range is a great reminder.
Thanks AlexJ! It's easier than trying to remember all the range names that you created.
Hi Debra,
If a user is allowed to disregard the list and enter their own item, then sometimes the next logical step is to add that user's entry to the original data validation list. I assume you have encountered this before and developed a solution but I couldn't find it on your website. For my own amusement I created a solution with formulas only...it was easier than I thought. A VBA solution may be better suited.
Thanks Jason, your formula solution sounds interesting. I've got a VBA solution on my Contextures site:
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http://www.contextures.com/excel-data-validation-add.html
It automatically adds new items, and sorts the source list
Very nice! Yes, the one drawback of the formula solution is that the list does not-resort. It simply appends the new entry to the list. If users add lots of new entries, then you have an partially sorted list and this can slow the user down.
Can a drop-down list be extended to DISPLAY more than 8
records from the source data without scrolling down ? This is very inconvenient for (say) the 12 months of the year or
any longer list of data.
Is there a way to edit a drop down menu to include more cells after it has been created? I can't seem to add to it, or delete it.