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ExcelDataValidationDependentLists

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Create Dependent Drop Down Lists

LimitthechoicesinanExceldropdownlist,byusingnamedrangesandtheINDIRECTfunction,tocreate
dependentdatavalidationlists.Forexample,selectFruitincolumnA,andonlyFruititemsappearinthedrop
downlistincolumnB

Sections
Video:DependentDataValidation
CreateNamedLists
ApplytheExcelDataValidation
TesttheExcelDataValidation
AddingaThirdDependentList
UsingTwoWordItems
UsingItemswithIllegalCharacters
UsingDynamicLists
Video:BlockChangesinFirstDropDown
BlockChangesinFirstDropDown
ClearDependentCellAfterSelecting
DownloadtheSampleFile

Video: Dependent Data Validation

Inthisdependentdatavalidationexample,ifacountryisselectedfromthefirstdropdown,onlythatcountry's
citiesappearinthenextcolumn'sdropdownlist.

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However,youcanusetheExcelIFfunctiontomaketheselectionmoreflexible.Ifnocountryisselected,theCity
columnwillshowalistofworldcitiesinthedependentdropdownlist.

Different Drop Down ...

Create Named Lists

StartbycreatingNamedLists,whichwillbethechoicesinthedependentdatavalidationdropdownlists.Inthis
example,thefirstlistwillbenamedProduce.
ItcontainstheProducecategoriesFruitandVegetable.

1. Create the first Named List

a. Inanemptyareaoftheworkbook,typetheentriesyouwanttoseeinthedropdownlists.Theseshould
beonewordentries,tomatchthedependentlistnamesthatwillbecreated.Ifyouneedtouse
multiplewordentries,see:
UsingTwoWordItems
b. Selectthecellsinthelist(butnottheheading).Inthisexample,cellsB3:B4areselected
c. ClickintheNamebox,totheleftoftheformulabar
d. Typeaonewordnameforthelist,e.g.Produce.
e. PresstheEnterkey.

2. Create the supporting Named Lists

a. TypetheentriesyouwanttoseeintheExceldatavalidationdropdownlistforoneoftheProduce
categories.
b. Selectthecellsinthelist.
c. ClickintheNamebox,totheleftoftheformulabar
d. Typeaonewordnameforthelist,e.g.Fruit.Thisnamemustbeexactlythesameasthematching
entryintheProducelist.
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e. PresstheEnterkey.

f. CreateanotherlistwiththeitemsforthenextProduceTypeVegetableinthisexample

Apply the Excel Data Validation

Next,datavalidationwillbeappliedonthedataentrysheet
ThecellsintheProductTypecolumnwillallowaList.
ThecellsintheItemcolumnwillusetheINDIRECTfunctiontoselectalist.
1.ApplytheExcelDataValidation
a. SelectthecellsinwhichyouwanttoapplyExceldatavalidationusingtheProducelist
b. OntheRibbon,clicktheDatatab,thenclickDataValidation.

c. FromtheAllowdropdownlist,chooseList
d. IntheSourcebox,typeanequalsignandthelistname,forexample:=Produce
e. ClickOK.

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2. Create the Dependent Data Validation

a. SelectthecellsinwhichyouwanttoapplydependentdatavalidationusingtheFruitorVegetableList,
dependentonwhichProduceTypehasbeenselected
b. OntheRibbon,clicktheDatatab,thenclickDataValidation..
c. FromtheAllowdropdownlist,chooseList
d. IntheSourcebox,typeanequalsignandINDIRECTfunction,referringtothefirstdatacellinthe
ProduceTypecolumn:
Inthisexample,cellC2isactive,sotheformulawillrefertotheProductTypecellinrow2:
=INDIRECT(B2)
e. ClickOK.

Note:IfcellA2isempty,you'llseethemessageshownbelow.ClickYestocontinue.

Test the Dependent Data Validation

1. ClickonacellintheProduceTypecolumn,andselecteitherFruitorVegetable,fromtheProducedrop
downlist.
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2. PresstheTabkeyonyourkeyboard,tomovetotheItemcolumn,inthesamerow.
3. IntheItemcolumn,clickthedropdownarrow,andselectanitem.ThedropdownlistshowseitherFruitor
Vegetableitems,dependingwhichhasbeenselectedintheProduceTypecolumn

NOTE:IfaProduceTypehasnotbeenselected,theItemdropdowninthatrowwill
notwork.

Adding a Third Dependent List

Youcouldaddanothersetofdependentdatavalidationdropdownliststhatdependontheselectionsinthefirst
twodropdowns.Forexample,selectacountryandregion,thenselectacityinthatregion.

1. Createthetwonamedrangesanddropdownlistsasdescribedabove.
2. Createanothersetofnamedranges,namingthemfortheavailablecombinationsinthefirsttwoExceldata
validationdropdowns.Forexample,youmightcreaterangesnamedCanadaOntarioandUSANewYork.

3. Forthethirddropdown,choosetoAllow:List,anduseaformulathatcombinestheentriesinthefirsttwo
columns,andremovesthespacesfromthenames.Forexample,incellD2,thedatavalidationformula
wouldbe:

=INDIRECT(SUBSTITUTE(B2&C2,"",""))

Using Two-Word Items

YoumayneedtohavetwoworditemsinthefirstExceldatavalidationdropdownlist.Forexample,yourchoices
are'RedFruit','GreenFruit'and'YellowFruit'
1. Createthefirstnamedrangeanddropdownlistasdescribedabove.
2. Createthesupportingnamedlists,usingonewordnames,e.g.RedFruit,GreenFruit,YellowFruit
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3. Fortheseconddropdown,choosetoAllow:List,anduseaformulathatremovesthespacesfromthenames.
Forexample:
=INDIRECT(SUBSTITUTE(A2,"",""))

Using Items with Illegal Characters

YoumayneeditemsinthefirstExceldatavalidationdropdownlistthatcontaincharactersnotallowedinrange
names,suchastheampersand(&).

Forexample,yourchoicesare'RedFruit','GreenFruit'and'Yellow&OrangeFruit'.Forthedependentlists,you
cancreaterangeswithonewordnames,suchasYOFruit.Then,createalookuptable,whichlistseachitemin
thefirstExceldatavalidationdropdownlist,andtherangewhereitsdependentitemswillbestored.
Tostart,createtheitemlistsandthefirstExceldatavalidationdropdown:
1. Createthefirstnamedrangeanddropdownlistasdescribedabove.Inthisexample,therangeisnamed
ProductList,withvaluesincellsA6:A8.ThedropdownlistincellA2usesProductListasitssource.
2. Createthedependentlists,andnamethem,usingonewordnames,with"List"attheend,e.g.
RedFruitList,GreenFruitList,YOFruitList.Inthisexample,RedFruitListisinA11:A12,
YOFruitListisinA15:A16andGreenFruitListisinA19:20.
3. SelectanitemfromthedropdownlistincellA2.
Next,you'llcreatethelookuptable,tomatcheachitemwithitsdependentitems'rangename.
1. InthecolumntotherightoftheFruitListrange,enterthecodenameforeachitem'sdependentlist.For
example,YOFruitisenteredasthecodenameforYellow&OrangeFruit.
2. Namethelookuptable.Inthisexample,therangeA6:B8isnamedProductLookup.
3. SelectcellB2,andfromtheDatamenu,chooseValidation.
4. ChoosetoAllow:List.
5. FortheSource,enteraformulathatusesaVLookupformulatofindthedependentlist'srangenamea
combinationofthecodenameand"List".
Forexample:=INDIRECT(VLOOKUP(A2,ProductLookup,2,0)&"List")
WithRedFruitselectedincellA2,theVLookupformulawillreturnRedFruitListastherangenameforthe
dependentlist.TheRedFruitListitemswillbedisplayedincellB2'sdropdown.

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Tocreatea3rddependentdropdownlist,usethesametechniques,tocreatelookuptablesanditemslists.

Inthescreenshotbelow,therearelookuptablesnamedRedFruitLookup,YOFruitLookupand
GreenFruitLookup.Itemslists,withthecodenamesand"List",havebeenaddedtotheworksheet.

Inthedatavalidationwindow,usethisformulaforthe3rddropdown:
=INDIRECT(VLOOKUP(B2,INDIRECT(VLOOKUP(A2,ProductLookup,2,0)&"Lookup"),2,0)&"List")
TheformulafindsthelookuptablebasedontheproducttypeselectedincellA2,e.g.RedFruitLook,andgetsthe
codefortheselectedproductMac.Itadds"List"tothecode,andshowstheitemsintheMacListrange.

Using Dynamic Lists

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BecausetheINDIRECTfunctiononlyworkswithreferences,notformulas,thepreviousmethodfordependent
datavalidationwon'tworkwithdynamiclists.Instead,youcanusethefollowingmethod:
1. Createthefirstnamedrangeanddropdownlistasdescribedabove.
2. Createthesupportingnamedlists,andnamethefirstcellineachrange,e.g.cellB1isnamedFruitandcell
C1isnamedVegetables.

3. Namethecolumninwhicheachlistislocated,e.g.columnBisnamedFruitColandcolumnCisnamed
VegetablesCol
4. Fortheseconddropdown,choosetoAllow:List,anduseaformulathatcalculatesthelookuprange.For
example,ifthefirstdropdownlistisincellE2:

=OFFSET(INDIRECT($E2),0,0,COUNTA(INDIRECT(E2&"Col")),1)
iftwoworditemswillbeused,youcanincludetheSUBSTITUTEfunctioninthe
formula:
=OFFSET(INDIRECT(SUBSTITUTE($F2,"
","")),0,0,COUNTA(INDIRECT(SUBSTITUTE($F2,"","")&"Col")),1)

Video: Block Changes in First Drop Down

Toblockchangestothefirstlist,youcanchangethedatavalidationformula,sothelistdoesnotappearunless
thesecondcellisempty.Thisvideoshowsyouhowthistechniqueworks,andwritteninstructionsarebelowthe
video.

Block Changes in Exc...

Block Changes in First Drop Down

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Withdependentdropdownlists,problemscanoccur,ifsomeonegoesbacktothefirstlist,andchangesit.Then,
thefirstandsecondselectionsaremismatchedforexample,inthescreenshotbelow,Vegetableisthefirst
choice,andBananaisselectedinthesecondcolumn.
Toblockchangestothefirstlist,youcanchangethedatavalidationformula,sothelistdoesn'tworkunlessthe
secondcellisempty.

InsteadofjustreferringtotheProducerangefortheProduceTypedropdown,theformulawillcheckforanentry
intheItemcolumn.
IftheItemcellisblank,theProduceTypedropdownwillshowtheProducelist
Ifanitemhasbeenselected,thedropdownwilltrytoshowtherangecreatedbytheINDIRECTfunction
"FakeRange".Becausethereisnorangewiththatname,theresultisanerror,andthedropdownwillnot
work.
Tochangetheformula:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Selectthedatavalidationcellsinthefirstcolumn
OntheRibbon'sDatatab,clickDataValidation
ForAllow,selectList
IntheFormulabox,type:

=IF(C2="",Produce,INDIRECT("FakeRange"))
5. ClickOK
Now,thedropdowninthefirstcolumnwon'tworkiftheItemhasbeenselectedinthatrow.

Clear Dependent Cell After Selecting

Intheprevioussection,thedatavalidationformulawasdesignedtopreventselectionsfromthefirstdropdown,
ifthecelltotherightcontaineddata.
Anotheroptionistouseamacro,toclearthedependentcell,aftermakingaselectinginthefirstdropdown.That
willpreventmismatchedselections.
Inthisexample,columnBcontainsadropdownlistofRegions.AfteryouselectaRegion,thedropdownlistin
columnCshowsthecustomersintheselectedregion.

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Gobackandselectadifferentregion,andtheexistingcustomernamewillbecleared.

Add Event Code to Clear the Customer Cell

WhenyouselectaRegion,eventcodeclearsthecelltotheright.Toaddthecode,rightclickthesheettab,and
clickViewCode.
Pastethefollowingcodeontothesheetmodule.Youmightneedtochangethecolumnnumber,tomatchthe
columnnumberonyourworksheet.
PrivateSubWorksheet_Change(ByValTargetAsRange)
OnErrorResumeNext
IfTarget.Column=2Then
IfTarget.Validation.Type=3Then
Application.EnableEvents=False
Target.Offset(0,1).ClearContents
EndIf
EndIf
exitHandler:
Application.EnableEvents=True
ExitSub
EndSub

Download the Sample File

Downloadasamplefilefordependentdatavalidation(DataValDepend.zip)
Downloadasamplefilefor(DataValDepend.zip)dependentdatavalidationwithDynamicLists
(DataValDynamic.zip)
DownloadasamplefileforClearDependentCellAfterSelecting
(/datavalidationsamples/datavaldependclear.zip)

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More Tutorials
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