Hi Genevieve,

It sounds like you're on the right track with using data validation to create lists within a column. Here are some steps you can take to set up your master tracking sheet:

1. Create a new Excel workbook and name it something like "Document Tracker".
2. In the first row of your worksheet, create column headers for the following: Document Type, Document Name, Date Sent, Follow-Up Date, Account Type, Amount.
3. In the "Document Type" column, use data validation to create a drop-down list of your three document types: Applications, Checks, and Mailings. To do this, select the cells in the "Document Type" column, go to the "Data" tab in the ribbon, and click on "Data Validation". In the "Settings" tab, choose "List" as the "Allow" option, and then type in your three document types separated by commas in the "Source" box. Click "OK" to close the dialog box.
4. In the "Document Name" column, use data validation to create a drop-down list of common applications, check types, or mailing types depending on the document type selected in the previous column. To do this, you'll need to create separate lists for each document type. For example, if the document type is "Applications", you could create a list of common applications like "Job Application", "Credit Application", etc. To create the lists, you can use the "Data Validation" dialog box again and choose "List" as the "Allow" option, but this time you'll need to use a formula in the "Source" box that references the appropriate list based on the document type selected. Here's an example formula for the "Document Name" column if the document type is in cell A2:
   Formula:

   =IF(A2="Applications",ApplicationsList,IF(A2="Checks",ChecksList,IF(A2="Mailings",MailingsList,""))) 

   . Replace "ApplicationsList", "ChecksList", and "MailingsList" with the actual range names of your lists.
5. In the "Date Sent" column, you can simply enter the date that the document was sent.
6. In the "Follow-Up Date" column, you can use a formula to calculate the follow-up date based on the date sent. For example, if the date sent is in cell C2, you could use the formula
   Formula:

   =C2+3 

   to add three days to the date sent.
7. In the "Account Type" and "Amount" columns, you can use data validation to create drop-down lists of account types and amounts depending on the document type selected, similar to step 4.
8. Finally, you can format your worksheet to make it easier to read and navigate. For example, you could use conditional formatting to highlight rows where the follow-up date is approaching, or you could use filters to sort and filter your data by document type, date sent, or other criteria.

I hope this helps you get started on your master tracking sheet! Let me know if you have any questions or need further assistance.