Dropdown lists with data validation in Google Sheet simplifies your routine task operation, increasing data accuracy.
Are you finding productive ways to develop your workflows in Google Sheets via creating and editing lists? …Do you want to improve the formatting and cleaning up data within Google Sheets? If so, we would introduce the feature “Dropdown lists with data validation rules”.
This feature assists you to limit the values that can be inserted into a cell in a worksheet. It improves data precision, reduces errors, and your working hours. You can describe one or more data validation rules for your spreadsheet. It can be done by separating data validation rules for each column in your Sheet where you can control other users’ filling values.
To start using, on the navigation bar, please click “Data”, select “Data validation”. There will appear a pop-up screen on the right, then click “Add rule”. On the criteria section, choose “Dropdown”, then you are able to manually input required values in each box. After defining all values, just click “Done”.
On the contrary, if you have plenty of allowed values, and don’t want to insert criteria one by one manually. You can predefine your required values in another data sheet, then add rules to data validation.
After data sheet preparation, open a new worksheet and allocate a column for your preset allowed values. Repeat the same step as the first approach, by clicking “Data” on the top of the navigation bar, then select “Data validation”. There will appear a pop-up screen on the right, and click “Add rule”. On the criteria section, choose “Dropdown (from a range)“, then select a data range from your data sheet. You can lock rows and columns by using absolute reference (e.g.= $A2$:$A10$). Based on this approach, you can input more data in the data sheet list, and it will automatically appear to dropdown criteria on data validation rules.
Data validation in your Google Sheet ensures information accuracy, reliability, and consistency. Validating input eliminates errors, saves time, enhances better decision-making for projects. It obviously increases proficiency in your workflow process. So why don’t you try this beneficial feature the next time?
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Source: Google Support