Brent asks how you can set up validation lists on another worksheet. This is generally considered invalid, but Episode 583 shows you how to pull it off.
This blog is the video podcast companion to the book, Learn Excel from MrExcel. Download a new two minute video every workday to learn one of the 277 tips from the book!
This blog is the video podcast companion to the book, Learn Excel from MrExcel. Download a new two minute video every workday to learn one of the 277 tips from the book!
Transcript of the video:
Hey, welcome back to the MrExcel Netcast.
I'm Bill Jelen.
Let's get to the second part of Brent's question. Yesterday brand asked a question about data validation Which I could not answer very well.
The second part is Hey how can I set up my data validation list that way they are on another worksheet?
Well, generally that's not valid.
You're not allowed to have your data validation list set up on another worksheet.
so people always hide them out on the right hand side when you know way out in Z Z or you know Z 1 through Z 99 or something like that but the great secret is to add a second worksheet and on the second worksheet set up your list and make sure that the list has a named range.
So for example. We might select this list and Give it a name "My list".
Click enter, and then when we go back to the original worksheet if we want to set up validation Data validation allow a "list" and the sources equal my list When you set up a workbook name it is defined throughout the whole workbook and so that actually tricks excel into thinking that my list is right on the current worksheet Will Click "OK" and sure enough the drop-down now brings those values from the other worksheet.
There's no chance that anyone's going to inadvertently delete a few of those rows that you're hiding out there on the right-hand side.
Now to make it a little bit safer of course you can go to "Format" "sheet" and then choose "hide" and then no one will even know that that sheet is there with the values for your drop-down list.
So a great question from Brent.
The simple Solution is just basically to add a named range and then you're able to point to list on other worksheets.
Hey, thanks for stopping by. We'll see you next time for another netcast from MrExcel.
I'm Bill Jelen.
Let's get to the second part of Brent's question. Yesterday brand asked a question about data validation Which I could not answer very well.
The second part is Hey how can I set up my data validation list that way they are on another worksheet?
Well, generally that's not valid.
You're not allowed to have your data validation list set up on another worksheet.
so people always hide them out on the right hand side when you know way out in Z Z or you know Z 1 through Z 99 or something like that but the great secret is to add a second worksheet and on the second worksheet set up your list and make sure that the list has a named range.
So for example. We might select this list and Give it a name "My list".
Click enter, and then when we go back to the original worksheet if we want to set up validation Data validation allow a "list" and the sources equal my list When you set up a workbook name it is defined throughout the whole workbook and so that actually tricks excel into thinking that my list is right on the current worksheet Will Click "OK" and sure enough the drop-down now brings those values from the other worksheet.
There's no chance that anyone's going to inadvertently delete a few of those rows that you're hiding out there on the right-hand side.
Now to make it a little bit safer of course you can go to "Format" "sheet" and then choose "hide" and then no one will even know that that sheet is there with the values for your drop-down list.
So a great question from Brent.
The simple Solution is just basically to add a named range and then you're able to point to list on other worksheets.
Hey, thanks for stopping by. We'll see you next time for another netcast from MrExcel.
