Excel, the famous software of the Microsoft Office suite, offers a multitude of features that are often overlooked. Inserting drop-down menus is one of these options that can greatly facilitate the management of your data.
Huawei: $25 million to encourage developers to bring their apps to its Play Store
Why use a drop-down menu in Excel
Drop-down menus help standardize responses in your tables. This reduces data entry errors and makes data analysis easier.
Imagine an attendance tracking board where the possible responses are limited. A drop-down menu ensures that all entries are uniform and correct.
Create your base table
Start by creating the table in which you will insert the drop-down menu. Fill in all the cells except those intended for the menu.
Microsoft unveils the Surface Laptop 3, Pro 7, Pro X, Earbuds, Duo and Neo
Add a new sheet to your Excel document. This sheet will contain the options you want to appear in the drop-down menu.
The procedure for inserting the drop-down menu
Go back to the first sheet and select the cell for the drop-down menu. Click the “Data” tab, then click “Data Validation.”
Huawei AppSearch: the equivalent of the Android Play Store is official!
In the window that appears, choose the “List” option under the “Allow” drop-down menu. You can now link this list to the new sheet you created.
| 🔍 | Summary of steps |
|---|---|
| 📄 | Create a new sheet for options |
| 📊 | Select cells for drop-down menu |
| ⚙️ | Configure “Data Validation” |
| ✅ | Validate and test the drop-down menu |
Next, click the “Source” field in the “Data Validation” window. Select the cells in the sheet containing the options.
The order line will be filled in automatically. Confirm by clicking “OK”. Your drop-down menu is ready to use.
- Create a new sheet for the options
- Select cells for drop-down menu
- Configure data validation
- Test the drop-down menu
To insert the drop-down menu into other cells, simply copy and paste the cell containing the drop-down menu. No need to repeat the manipulation.
This quick and easy method will save you time and prevent typing errors. Using drop-down menus can also make your tables look more professional and easy to read.
Now that you know how to insert a drop-down menu in Excel, how can you use this skill to improve your other projects?
Get IPTV Free Trial Now