The usual reason the DV list starts at the bottom of the list is that the
referenced range has blank cells at the bottom of it. When you first click
the dropdown button, the list defaults to the current selection. If the
current cell is blank, the DV list defaults to the first blank cell in that
list. If there ARE blank cells and they are only there to allow for list
expansion, it would be better to base the list on a Dynamic Range Name
(which will expand/collapse to accommodate the data).
See Debra Dalgleish's website for instructions:
http://www.contextures.com/xlNames01.html#Dynamic

Regarding autocomplete in DV lists....not a feature of them. However, if
you must have that kind of feature, again, see Debra Dalgleish's website for
instructions:
http://www.contextures.com/xlDataVal10.html


Does that help?
--------------------------

Regards,

Ron
Microsoft MVP (Excel)

(XL2003, Win XP)


"PCreighton" wrote in message
...
my data validation list sometimes starts at the bottom vs top of list how
do
I set that it always starts at top of list? does a way exist that user
can
start to type item in list and it will find it and populate.