How To Create DropDown ListBox In Excel

[krishnap2w2]

There are multiple ways in which you can create a dropdown list in Excel.
Data Validation
Form Control (Combo Box)
ActiveX Control (Combo Box)
But of these methods, Data Validation is the most used method, for its simplicity. Later on, I’ll explain the pros and cons of each method, so that you can choose the best method among these for you.

Before going to explain how to create a dropdown list, let me tell you what a Data Validation is? It controls the type of data or the values that users enter into a cell. For example, you may want to enter only positive values in a cell, only ‘time’ in a column, or a text below the specified length. You can define all these conditions through Data Validation. Even dropdown list is a data validation where you’re constraining the user to use only those set of words in that cell. Again, in creating a dropdown list through data validation, there are different ways in doing it.

Writing the complete list in the Source Field
1) Select the Cell (or) set of Cells in which you want to see the dropdown. 2) Go to “Data” Tab –> Data Validation –> Data Validation 3) Select List in the “Allow box” 4) Just enter the names you want to see in the dropdown list in the “Source” Box