Dynamic Content for Data Validation Lists

Building Solutions for Business

Data Validation Lists Overview

• Data validation provides a way to ensure the contents of the cell are restricted to specific choices in a list

• Data entry by list is faster and more accurate than typing a response in a cell

• It is an intuitive and familiar input method

• Will increase usability of data entry forms

The ChallengeBuilding a drop down list based on fixed or named ranges is not flexible, and can be complex for users to manage.

Data validation list can be difficult to manage when:

• The source location of the list changes

• New entries are added to the list

The Solution• This deck will step through building a data

validation list the traditional way

• It will then use a newer more flexible, self-managing method

• This method is very useful if you are distributing solutions to end users with less Excel experience

Building a Simple List• This example will walk through building a

dropdown validation list based on a range of cells

• Using cell ranges allows for the content of the list to be more easily managed

• Enter list values in a range of cells.

• Click on the data validation button in the data ribbon

• Select List from the Allow box

• Select the range of cells the list will display

• The list and data are now connected

• Changes to the source data will be shown in the list

Use Named Ranges• Using named ranged references for a list is a best

practice strategy

• From the previous example, let’s define the list of fruits with a name called “lstFruits”

• The data validation will now reference the name rather than a static range of cells

• Define a name for the range of cells using the name box to the left of the formula bar

• Use the name range in the list definition

What if the contents of list changes?

• This list will need to be maintained and sorted

• When adding items to a named range, you must take care that the item is picked up by the range

• This level of maintenance can be time consuming and beyond the skills of some users

• The answer is to create self maintaining lists

Dynamic List Ranges To the Rescue

• Let Excel automatically determine the number of rows in the list and just display those

• Items can be added or removed as required without impacting the ease of maintenance

Create the first item of list data starting at row 1

Note the old static definition of the list

Change the definition of the lstFruits name to the following

What the Formula Does

• This formula makes everything work

• CountA – will count all of the non-blank rows in the column

• Index – will determine the bottom of the list

=sheet3!$A$1:INDEX(sheet3!$A:$A,COUNTA(sheet3!$A:$A))

You’re Done• You can now add and change items in the list

without altering name definitions or tweaking named ranged

For more ideas and tips visit our blog at http://www.excelgenius.ca

Building Solutions for Business