Understanding Lists

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated April 30, 2022)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

In Excel, a database is most often referred to as a list. A list is nothing more than a data table that contains organized information. For instance, a list can contain information about your receivables, your coin collection, or the test results for students in your class.

Lists, or databases, are comprised of records (for instance, each row could be the record for one student) and fields (here, each column is the data from one category). Normally you place labels at the top of the list to indicate the field names, therefore each column represents a field. Each row in the list is a database record.

There are a few guidelines you might find helpful as you are developing lists. Remember that these guidelines only apply if you will be using the database-related functions built into Excel.

  • Use only one list per worksheet.
  • If at all possible, make the list the only thing on the worksheet. If you must include other data besides the list on a worksheet, separate the data from the list by at least one blank row or one blank column.
  • Always put field labels (sometimes called column labels) in the first row of your list. Use only one row.
  • Make sure that the field labels look different from the rest of your list. They should be formatted differently so that Excel can determine they are, indeed, field labels.
  • Make sure the row containing the field labels is immediately followed by the first row of the list.
  • Don't put any data in any of the rows following your list. Doing so makes it harder to use data forms.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2084) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Erasing Table Lines

When creating tables, Word provides a handy tool that you can use. Once the table is in place, you can use the table ...

Discover More

Where Is that Text?

Looking for a formula that can return the address of a cell containing a text string? Look no further; the solution is in ...

Discover More

Pulling Filenames into a Worksheet

You can use Excel for all types of data processing. You may want to work with filenames in a worksheet, but the first ...

Discover More

Solve Real Business Problems Master business modeling and analysis techniques with Excel and transform data into bottom-line results. This hands-on, scenario-focused guide shows you how to use the latest Excel tools to integrate data from multiple tables. Check out Microsoft Excel Data Analysis and Business Modeling today!

More ExcelTips (menu)

Canceling a Command

Need to cancel a command you've already started? It is as easy as pressing a single keystroke.

Discover More

Saving Changes in the Personal Workbook

The Personal workbook is a special place used to store information and macros that you can access from all the other ...

Discover More

Slowing Down Mouse Selection

Ever tried to select a range of cells using the mouse, only to have the cells scroll by so quickly you can't make the ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 0 + 1?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

This Site

Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.

Links and Sharing
OUR COMPANY
OUR PRODUCTS
OUR SITES
 

Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.