Today, the computer has become a necessary part of our lives. Various programs simplify all work so much that even an inexperienced novice user cannot do without them. Excel has become one of them - convenient, simple and quite effective. Due to its many functions, it can be used both on a home computer and in office work. For some, it has become simply irreplaceable.
Of course, to start working with Excel is quite difficult, but over time, having understood its functions, it becomes much easier. It is sometimes difficult for a novice user to understand all the nuances of work, so the article will discuss a specific question that interests many: “How to make a drop-down list in Excel?”. Let's try to figure it out.
First of all, you need to understand what a drop-down list is in Excel. Quite often, when working in an Excel document, the user needs to enter the same data into several cells. This business is troublesome and unnecessary. In order to somehow simplify the process, you need to know about such an application function as drop-down lists. This is a very convenient thing, and you can make such a list in different ways.
So, the drop-down list in Excel can be organized using the standard method and using the program controls. The first case is suitable for novice users, as the actions performed are the same on all types of operating systems. First, select all the necessary cells with the data that you need to add to the drop-down list. Then the menu is entered and the following actions are performed sequentially: "Insert" - "Name" - "Assign".
The name of the selection range is entered (it can be any, the main condition is that it should not contain spaces). Actions are confirmed by clicking on "OK". Now it is necessary to note the cells in which the list will drop out. You can specify several at once. The menu opens again and the “Data” - “Verification” command is selected. Then the “Settings” tab. From all the proposed data types, select "List". In the "Source" field, the "equal" sign is entered and the list name indicated at the very beginning without spaces. Done. Excel drop-down list is created in a standard way.
A dynamically named range, for example, any price list, can act as a data source. If there is a need to add data to the main document, then they will automatically be added to the drop-down list in Excel. There is also a function of linked lists. This means that if you make changes to one, they will automatically change to another.
The second case of creating a drop-down list involves the use of controls. In Excel 2007-2010, on the toolbar, open the Developer tab (if an earlier program is installed, the Forms tab opens). Here, in the listed tools, you need to find the drop-down list icon, select it and draw it in a rectangle. This will be the future drop-down list in Excel.
Using the right mouse button, select “Object format”. In the dialog box that appears, execute the following commands in order: “Form a list by range” (select those cells that should be in the list), “Link to cell” (indicate the cell in which the item number will be written), and the last - “ The number of lines in the list ”(enter the desired number of lines in the future list). Everywhere we confirm actions by clicking on “OK”. The drop-down list is created, you can start working.
A very simple way to create drop-down lists, which is suitable even for those who are little versed in computers, is as follows. Two or three values are entered in the column (as many as possible). A cursor is hovered over one of them and the keyboard shortcut Alt + Down arrow is pressed, or the item "Select from the drop-down list" is selected using the right mouse button.