Create a drop-down list in MS Excel with simple steps from a range of cells, named range, Excel table, and another sheet. Dropdowns can make data entry faster, more accurate, and more consistent. if you want to select an item from a drop-down list this article will be helpful for you.
Watch the video to learn more about the Drop-down List in Excel -> https://youtu.be/xU-JbNGsA7Q
To create and manage drop-down lists in Microsoft Excel execute the following steps.
How to create drop down list in Excel
You need to use the Data Validation option from the Home tab to create a drop-down list in Excel.
1 - Creating an item list
Before creating a drop-down list create a list of items that you want to include in the drop-down. For this, just type each item in a separate cell
2 - Select the Cell:
Click on the cell where you want the drop-down list to appear.
3 - Navigate to Data Validation:
- Go to the "Data" tab on the ribbon.
- Click "Data Validation" in the "Data Tools" group.
4 - In the Data Validation dialog box, select List from the Allow drop-down menu
5 - Enter List Source:
In the "Source" field, you have two options:
- Manually Enter Items: Type the items you want in the drop-down list, separated by commas (e.g., Option 1, Option 2, Option 3).
- Reference a Range: If you have a list of items already in your spreadsheet, click the small icon next to the Source box
and then select the range of cells that contain your list items.
After selecting the range click a small icon from the window
Then click ok. you will get the item list in the selected cell
Note: Select Multiple cell(s) that are to contain the list.
Insert drop-down list from a separate sheet
Inserting a drop-down list in Excel that pulls data from a separate sheet is a great way to manage and organize your data effectively.
1 - Prepare a separate sheet
- Simply click on the (+) icon from the bottom. right side of sheet1
- Go to the sheet where you want to store your list of items (e.g., Sheet2).
- Enter your list of items On the second sheet, type the items you want to appear in the drop-down list.
2 - Open the Data Validation dialog window and configure the rule:
- Go to the sheet where you want to create the drop-down list (e.g., Sheet1).
- Click on the cell where you want the drop-down list to appear.
- Go to the "Data" tab on the ribbon.
- Click on "Data Validation" in the "Data Tools" group.
3 - Enter the Source for the Drop-Down List in 2 ways:
1) Type the reference to the range from the other sheet in this format: =Sheet2!$A$1:$A$5.
Click "OK" to close the Data Validation dialog box. The drop-down list should now be available in the selected cell.
2) click the small icon next to the Source box and directly click on Sheet2
Then select the range of items and press ok.
By following these steps, you can effectively manage your data and make your Excel sheets more interactive and user-friendly.
Do I need a formula to create drop-down lists?
No formula is needed to create drop-down lists in Excel. All you need to do is change how the data is added to the cell from typing in text to selecting from your list by going to Data Validation within the toolbar.
If you have any other questions or need further examples, let us know and upload the question in our forum tapgen.xyz
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