Expert Excel Tricks for Speed and Accuracy

Faster data entry with Drop-Down Lists in Microsoft Excel

With Error-Free Entry  

Along with typos, inconsistent entries in Excel sheets can irritate you.

Drop-down lists are simple but strong feature to keep data accurate. This guide will explain how to create them in Excel 365-2013.

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Just like a Drop-down List, many useful and effective tips are given daily, which will save your day.

So, what Are Drop-Down Lists in Microsoft Excel?

Drop-down Lists allow the input in a cell to be restricted to pre-defined choices. They can be used perfectly for forms, status updates, category selections, and many more.

Steps for making a drop-down list:

1. Select the cell or cells where you want to apply the list.

2. Go to Data tab → Data Validation → Data Validation again.

3. Under ‘Allow’, select List.

4. In the Source box, type the list items separated by commas, e.g., Yes, No, Maybe, or provide a range reference such as =A1:A3.

5. Click Apply.

Pro Tip: 

Use a named range or store the data in a hidden worksheet for long or dynamic lists.

Use Cases:

• Project Status Updates (To Do, In Progress, Done)

• Employee Departments (HR, Sales, IT)

• Order Priority (High, Medium, Low) 

Tips for Better Lists:

• This utilises Conditional Formatting to highlight the selection.

• Use IF formulas for further action.

• Lock the cell with a password so that it cannot be edited.

Drop-down lists make things neat and tidy and increase work efficiency and accuracy. Using it initially will ensure that data entry across all Excel versions will be clean and consistent.

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