I of Excel's many useful features is the power to create drop-down lists that can then be added to a spreadsheet. These are great when you want people to answer a question, using preset choices.

We'll accept you lot step by step through the procedure of creating a drop-downwardly list in Excel.

Set the contents of list

The first thing you'll demand to exercise is open upwards a new Excel worksheet. In the left-most column enter the various contents y'all want to appear in your list. Each entry needs to occupy 1 cell, accept no bare cells between them, and all must  reside in the same column.

how to create a dropdown list in excel

When you've assembled your list, highlight all of the entries and right-click on them. From the bill of fare that appears select Ascertain Name.

how to create a dropdown list in excel

This brings up a window with the heading New Proper noun. In the Name field enter a title for your drop-downwardly list, existence sure not to include any spaces.

how to create a dropdown list in excel

Now click OK.

Add together down-down list to a spreadsheet

Open an existing, or new, worksheet into which you lot desire to place the driblet-down list. Highlight the cell where the listing needs to appear then go up to the carte du jour bar at the superlative of the page and select Information>Data Validation.

how to create dropdown list excel

In the box that appears yous'll run across 3 tabs – Settings, Input Message, and Error Alert – which nosotros'll go through one by 1.

how to create dropdown list in excel

The Settings tab will open by default and in here yous'll see 2 drop-down menus. Click on the Allow carte du jour then select List. A new option will now appear at the lesser of the window, entitled Source. Click on this and so enter an = sign followed immediately by the name of your list.

how to create dropdown list in excel

Make certain the In-cell dropdown box is ticked and, if yous want people to be able to leave the field blank rather than choose from your list, tick the Ignore blank box too.

With that completed you tin motion onto the Input Message tab, which allows you to create a message that will appear when a user clicks on the dropdown prison cell. This can be handy if the question yous're posing is a complicated one.

how to create dropdown lists in excel

Simply add a brief championship in the relevant field, so enter the explanation in the primary Input message box. If y'all don't demand this feature but untick the Show input message when cell is selected pick at the peak.

The final tab is for the Mistake Alert. This acts in a similar manner to the Input Message, in that it volition inform the user if they enter an invalid response. Again you tin enter a title and bulletin, but this section also has a setting for Style.

how to create dropdown lists in excel

Clicking on this will open three bachelor icons to accompany your message: Cease, Warning, and Information. Select the ane that you feel matches the tone y'all're after or to dispense with an alert message altogether untick the Show error alert after invalid data is entered box.

Click OK and y'all will now see an arrow in the prison cell you selected for the dropdown listing. When you lot click on this your range of answers should announced as if by magic.

how to create dropdown list in excel

That's it. You've added a dropdown list to your worksheet. Now people will be amazed by your advanced Excel-Fu and bear you upon their backs to celebrate your greatness. Or they might just select one of the answers from the list. Either mode, information technology's a winner.