Carol asked if there is a way in Excel to create drop-down lists so that the second drop-down list is dependent on the selection made in the first drop-down list.
There are actually a number of different ways you can accomplish this task, ranging from simple formulas to complex macros. The method you choose depends, most directly, on the type of drop-down lists you want to create. There are actually three types of drop-down lists you can create in Excel:
Rather than discuss how to create dependent drop-lists based on each of these types of drop-down lists, I'll choose to examine the simplest method, which will suffice for most people. If you use the INDIRECT function along with data validation lists, it is quite easy to get the result you want:
Figure 1. The Data Validation dialog box.
=INDIRECT(A3)
That's it. Now people can only select from your major list if they are using one of the cells specified in step 6, and from the appropriate dependent lists if they choose one of the cells in step 12.
There are lots of different variations of this approach (using data validation). You can find more information on some of these approaches by visiting these Web pages:
http://www.ozgrid.com/download/ (download the MatchingLists.zip file) http://www.contextures.com/xlDataVal02.html
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (10545) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007 and 2010. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Creating Dependent Drop-Lists.
Comprehensive VBA Guide Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is the language used for writing macros in all Office programs. This complete guide shows both professionals and novices how to master VBA in order to customize the entire Office suite for their needs. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2010 today!
When inputting information into a worksheet, you may need a way to limit what can be entered. This scenario is a prime ...
Discover MoreWant to establish a "bottom limit" on what dates can be entered in a cell? This tip presents two different ways you can ...
Discover MoreWhen setting up Excel for data entry, you often have to be concerned with what values are acceptable. For example, if ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2014-03-07 04:18:59
NITIN
Thanks Bryan, I will LookUp that & Try..
2014-03-04 11:42:50
Bryan
INDEX/MATCH allows you to use tba data in one cell to look up information in a table and display it in another cell.
2014-02-28 03:06:07
Nitin
Thanks Bryan Got it & I understand your stand for not providing step-by-step instructions for free.
& Yes What you mention is exactly the same - I have only one record per name / id - not multiple order details....
You mentioned I can do it without VBA - ??? I did not understand that - do you mean there is a function to do that ?
2014-02-27 11:43:22
Bryan
As long as there is only one record per name it would be easy to use the above functions. No VBA needed. If you have multiple records attached to each name/ID in the drop down (like a customer order table -- each customer could have multiple orders) it is more complicated but the solution depend entirely on your data.
You should have to trouble finding a solution online. Off the top of my head, Chandoo.org is a good place to start. I don't want to give step by step instructions for free, especially when according to the comment policy I wouldn't what I wrote.
2014-02-27 06:41:01
Nitin
Thanks Bryan,
What I want is:
From a dropdown list in say a5, I will select a name.
Once I select the name, I would want the birthdate, spouse name, address & other data / information of THAT person to be displayed in subsequent columns designated for each piece of information.
I also intend to use the same concept for invoicing:
wherein I will select the customer id from a drop down list & on selection, automatically, the address, tax no., email id, concerned person's name etc will be filled up in the designated cells.
I would appreciate if you can give me a step by step explanation (if possible) as I am novice in macro / excel functions...
Meanwhile, I shall study the VLOOKUP & INDEX/MATCH functions.
2014-02-26 11:44:06
Bryan
Nitin, do you you want to see a whole list displayed or just one matching record? If the latter, you could simply use a VLOOKUP or an INDEX/MATCH combination.
2014-02-26 07:15:09
Nitin
Is there a way of dependant lists getting selected automatically on selection of the main list?
I mean in a drop down list (at a5), if i select a name, then a6 should display the relative details of the name - say telephone no. (from another list) & a7 should display the spouse name & a8 should display the address etc etc etc
2014-02-25 13:34:48
Bruce
Daniel. After entering the information into the cells (A2:A10 for example) highlight these cells and change the name to something relevant (like dependants) this creates the "named range" then use this name in your validation
2014-02-25 10:03:03
Daniel
I found my answer here: http://www.contextures.com/xlDataVal02.html
2014-02-25 09:56:58
Daniel
Is there some special way to create a list? When I get to step 11, I receive an error that says "A named range you specified cannot be found."
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2021 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments