How to Create a Drop Down Menu in Excel 2007

When multiple people are allowed to enter data in the same Excel spreadsheet, it is important to ensure that the data is entered correctly. The most effective way to do this is with a drop-down menu, which ensures that the possible entries for a cell are limited to those that you define. This article explains the procedure necessary to create a drop-down menu in an Excel 2007 spreadsheet.

Instructions

1. • 1
     Switch to a different sheet in the workbook that is being used by clicking a tab on the bottom of the window. This helps prevent the list from being confused with a data-entry area.
   • 2
     Type a list of items on the sheet using cells that are on top of one another (e.g., A1, A2, A3 and A4). Leave no spaces between the items and type them in the order that they should appear on the drop-down menu.
   • 3
     Use the mouse to draw a box around the cells you used for the list.

     
     
   • 4
     Click inside the text-entry box at the top of the screen, to the left of the formula area. To confirm that you have the correct box, hover the mouse cursor over it. A message saying "Name Box" will appear. In the box, type a name for the list. Remember the name.
   • 5
     Return to the original sheet and click the cell where the drop-down menu should be created.
   • 6
     Click the "Data" tab at the top of the window. In the "Data Tools" portion of the tab, click "Data Validation."
   • 7
     Click the drop-down menu next to "Allow" and select "List."
   • 8
     Click inside the "Source" box. Type the equal sign followed by the name of the list. For example, if you named the list "MyList," type "=MyList" in the box. Click "OK." The drop-down menu will appear in the cell.