Excel: Create dropdown list - how to do it

In Excel, in addition to calculations and the creation of data sets, you can also insert other functions. For this, you can format cells as you wish. If you want to include a selection option in a cell, then you can also create a dropdown list for this cell.

How to create a dropdown list in Excel

If you want to work more efficiently within your worksheets in Excel, creating a dropdown list can help. This helps, for example, if several people are working on this data set and only certain choices have been specified in a column.

1. To create a dropdown list, you first need another worksheet. In this you enter one below the other all possible entries for your dropdown list.
2. Note that it is especially useful later when the entries are in a table. The dropdown list is then automatically updated when you delete or add entries from the table.
3. Now activate the cell in which the dropdown list should be displayed.
4. Click on the "Data" tab and then on "Data validation".
5. Under "Settings" you will see the item "List" under "Allow". Wählen Sie diesen aus.
6. Im Feld „Quelle“ geben Sie nun den Listenbereich ein, in dem die Auswahlmöglichkeiten stehen.
7. Hier aktivieren Sie zudem die Option „Zellendropdown“.
8. Gehen Sie nun zum Tab „Eingabemeldung“, wenn Sie beispielsweise möchten, dass nur Daten aus der Liste ausgewählt werden sollen und der Nutzer darüber informiert werden soll.