Video: Create and manage drop-down lists (2024)

Data entry is quicker and more accurate when you use a drop-down list to limit the entries people can make in a cell. When someone selects a cell, the drop-down list’s down-arrow appears, and they can click it and make a selection.

Create a drop-down list

You can make a worksheet more efficient by providing drop-down lists. Someone using your worksheet selects an arrow, and then selects an entry in the list.

1. Select the cells that you want to contain the lists.

2. On the ribbon, selectDATA and choose Data Validation.

3. In the dialog box, set Allow to List.

   See Also

   How to set the dropdown value and display nameCreate a cascading list boxInsert a drop-down list boxCascading Menus

4. Select theSourcefield andtype the text or numbers for the drop-down list, separateby commas. For example, "Yes,No,Maybe" or "True,False."

5. SelectOK.

Tip:You can also select a range in the sheet to use as a source for the drop-down-

Data entry is quicker and more accurate when you use a drop-down list to limit the entries that people can make in a cell.

When you select a cell, the drop-down list’s down-arrow appears, click it, and make a selection.

Here is how to create drop-down lists: Select the cells that you want to contain the lists.

On the ribbon, select the DATA tab >Data Validation.

In the dialog box, set Allow to List.

Click in Source.

In this example, we are using a comma-delimited list.

The text or numbers we type in the Source field are separated by commas.

And selectOK. The cells now have a drop-down list.

Up next, Drop-down list settings.