Data Validation

Tips, Tricks, and Answers

The following articles are available for the 'Data Validation' topic. Click the article's title (shown in bold) to see the associated article.

Adding Pop-Up Documentation to a Cell
Want to have a small help screen pop up when a user selects a particular cell? This can be done by using data validation, as described in this tip.

Changing Fonts in Data Validation Drop-Down Lists
When you use Excel's data validation features to create a drop-down list, you might not be pleased with Excel's choice of fonts for the list. Unfortunately, you may be out of luck if you want to modify Excel's choices.

Drop-Down List of Hyperlinks
Creating a drop-down list with Excel's data validation feature can be a nice touch for a worksheet. What if you want the drop-down list to include active hyperlinks? While Excel doesn't allow you to create this, there are a couple of workarounds you can use.

Ensuring Unique Values in a Column
If you want to make sure that only unique values are entered in a particular column, you can use the data validation capabilities of Excel to your advantage. It's easier than you think, as this tip shows.

External Data Validation
Data validation allows you to control what information is entered into a worksheet. Validating based on information internal to a workbook is easy; validating to information in another workbook can be a real pain. This tip explains how to make it all work.

Limiting Entries to Numeric Values
When creating a worksheet, you may need to limit what can be entered into a particular cell. Using data validation you can easily limit input to numeric values within a certain range.

Limiting Entry of Names
When inputting information into a worksheet, you may need a way to limit what can be entered. This scenario is a prime candidate for the Data Validation capabilities of Excel, but you aren't limited to them.

Limiting Input to a Format
When setting up a worksheet for others to use, you might want to make some limitations on what can be entered in certain cells. This tip provides a couple of different techniques you can use to impose the limitations.

Making a Drop-Down List Indicator Visible
You can use the data validation capabilities in Excel to create a drop-down list. The drop-down control is visible whenever the cell in question is selected. If you want the drop-down list to be visible at other times, then you will need to use a different method of creating the list.

Setting Data Validation Input Messages
When using data validation, you might want to have Excel display a message when someone starts to enter information into a cell. Here's how to set up that message.

Single-Use Drop-Down List
Want to create an easy drop-down list? You can do so by using the data validation features of Excel.

Specifying a Data Validation Error Message
Data validation is a great tool for limiting what can be input into a cell. Excel allows you to specify what should appear on the dialog box displayed whenever data validation detects a problem with what is input.

Triggering a Macro for Drop-Down List Changes
Excel 97 has a bug that causes the Worksheet_Calculate event not to trigger when someone picks a value from a data validation drop-down list. This tip discusses the problem, along with some ways you can compensate for it.

Using Data Validation
Want to control what users put into a cell? It's easy to do using a feature called data validation, as described in this tip.