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<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nCreate Manual Dropdown Lists in Google Sheets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The fastest way to create a Google Sheets dropdown list is by listing the items inside the data validation settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To do this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Select the cell where you want to create a dropdown list. Select Data<\/strong> from the menu, and then select Data validation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Next to Criteria, select List of items<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. In the field next to this selection, type out the items you want to include in the dropdown list, separated by commas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Select the Save<\/strong> button, and you\u2019ll see that the cell you selected now has a dropdown list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are a few important settings in the Data validation window to note.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you deselect Show dropdown list in cell<\/strong>, the dropdown arrow will not appear. However, when the user starts typing, the list items will appear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the On invalid data<\/strong> section, if you select Show warning<\/strong>, a red warning indicator will appear. This displays a message warning the user that the typed item doesn\u2019t match anything in the list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you select Reject input<\/strong> instead, Google Sheets will reject the entry and replace it with the first item of the dropdown list instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the Appearance<\/strong> section, if you select Show validation help text<\/strong> and type text into the field below it, that text will appear when the user selects the dropdown cell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A more dynamic way to create Google Sheets dropdown lists is to use the contents of a range of cells<\/a> to fill the list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To do this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. First, create your validation lists in any range of cells. These don\u2019t have to be in the same spreadsheet. You can create and select these lists in other spreadsheet tabs as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Next, select the cell where you want to create a dropdown list. Select Data<\/strong> from the menu, and then select Data validation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. This time, select List from a range<\/strong> from the Criteria dropdown list. Then, select the small grid selection icon to open the range selection window.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Select the range you want to use as your list, and you\u2019ll see the range text appear in the Select a data range<\/strong> field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5. Select OK<\/strong> to close out the selection window and return to the validation window. Configure the rest of the dropdown options you\u2019d like and then select the Save<\/strong> button to finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 6. Now, you\u2019ll see the range data appear as the dropdown list items in the cell you selected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 7. Continue this same process for any other columns you\u2019d like to add as a dynamic dropdown list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Using ranges as the source of your data is a great way to keep your spreadsheets updated without having to manually go through and update every dropdown list you\u2019ve created.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Google Sheets dropdown lists connected to ranges are the most useful because they dramatically reduce the overall maintenance of your spreadsheet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is especially true if you have many cells drawing data from a single range of items. If you want to update or change those list items, you\u2019ll only have to make the change in a single range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even if there are hundreds of cells with those list items, updating the range once will update all of those dropdown cells instantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also save time by copying validated dropdown cells to any other cells. This saves the time of having to step through the process of stepping through the validation screens again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Copying validated cells is especially useful for selection lists like days, months, time, and other standard datasets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Suppose you don\u2019t want the list items included with any cell. You can quickly remove them by right-clicking the cell, selecting Validation<\/strong>, and then selecting Remove validation<\/strong> in the Data validation window.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll see the dropdown arrow disappear from the cell, and all of the dropdown items disappear. The cell will become just another normal spreadsheet cell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One more useful way to use Google Sheets dropdown lists is to pass information between sheets. You can also use this technique to relay information between people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, if you have an original sheet that contains a list of tasks completed by one team, you can base a second spreadsheet on those completed tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You may or may not want to create that first list based on the same dynamic dropdown lists as described in the last section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Either way, select the cell on the sheet you want to send the completed tasks to as another dropdown list, and open the validation window as described in the last section. When you select the data range, switch to this source task spreadsheet and select the entire column of tasks (including blank cells).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, on the destination spreadsheet, you\u2019ll see that the data from the tasks column is pulled in. This means your second team can perform their own project tasks based on completed tasks from the first team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first team can continue adding newly completed tasks to the original source spreadsheet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nData Validation Options<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nCreate Dropdown Lists from a Google Sheets Range<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nInteresting Facts About Google Sheets Dropdown Lists<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Update Multiple Cells with One Range Change<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nCopying Validated Cells to Save Time<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nQuickly Remove Cell Validation<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nUsing Double Dropdown Lists in Google Sheets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n