I know that Excel isn't a database program, but my company uses it for
everything, so I'm stuck using it for data collection. I know that in
Data-Validation you can set up a list of possible user picks and limit it to
those to that list. I have two questions.

1) Can you have a default for that cell, i.e. something that is filled in
unless they choose another answer from the list?

2) Is there a way to have a "pick all that apply?" Where the there can be
a list of options and the user picks the ones they want and what's stored in
the field is comma deliminated (this way we can filter on those items)?

Basically, everything you should know about data validation is he
http://www.contextures.com/xlDataVal01.html

Scroll to the bottom for several lists of topics.

HTH,
Ryan---

--
Ryan---
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"mlewert" wrote:

I know that Excel isn't a database program, but my company uses it for
everything, so I'm stuck using it for data collection. I know that in
Data-Validation you can set up a list of possible user picks and limit it to
those to that list. I have two questions.

1) Can you have a default for that cell, i.e. something that is filled in
unless they choose another answer from the list?

2) Is there a way to have a "pick all that apply?" Where the there can be
a list of options and the user picks the ones they want and what's stored in
the field is comma deliminated (this way we can filter on those items)?

After creating the DV dropdown list, the dropdown cell will be blank so no
value is default unless you type something from the list in the cell before
you create the dropdown.

i.e. list is cat,dog,mouse,horse,beaver

Type beaver in cell before you create the dropdown.

After you have chosen from the list, the original entry will no longer be
default.

Multiselect from a DV dropdown is possible but not sure how you would filter
a comma delimited string in a cell.

See Debra Dalgleish's site for a downloadable sample workbook with event
code.

http://www.contextures.on.ca/excelfiles.html#DV0017

Note that you can have the selections in an adjacent cell or in the same
cell.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Tue, 3 Nov 2009 08:10:02 -0800, mlewert
wrote:

I know that Excel isn't a database program, but my company uses it for
everything, so I'm stuck using it for data collection. I know that in
Data-Validation you can set up a list of possible user picks and limit it to
those to that list. I have two questions.

1) Can you have a default for that cell, i.e. something that is filled in
unless they choose another answer from the list?

2) Is there a way to have a "pick all that apply?" Where the there can be
a list of options and the user picks the ones they want and what's stored in
the field is comma deliminated (this way we can filter on those items)?