When I started my career in working with excel dashboards, I always used to face most common challenge in “Data Validation” technique where I want a smart data validation to avoid all blank cells and keep adding and deleting the values from drop down dynamically.
Step 1: Identify the range which you want to show into data validation list. Here I selected a range from A2:A15. Refer the below screenshot:
Step 2: I will be creating a dynamic drop down list using above Range (A2:15) and applying this validation to Cell “C4” as below:
Step 3: Here we will be using “OFFSET” function to create dynamic drop down list:
“=OFFSET(reference, rows, cols, [height], [width])”
Note: Click here “OFFSET” to learn this function in detail
Parameters:
Reference: This is a range which we will be using and adjusting. So here it is “$A$2:$A$15”
Rows: As our base row starts from “2” and our data also starts from $A$2. Therefore, we should not be using this parameter
Cols: As we will be adjusting the same column and no need to shift data anywhere on the sheet Therefore, we should not be using this parameter
Height: We are going to adjust the height of our data in current example which starts from $A$2 and ends at $A$15. So it depends on the data filled. Currently we have data till 8th Row. We will calculate the height until filled cell by using COUNTA function
Note: Click here “COUNTA” to learn this function in detail
Width: We do not have width of the data, so can leave this as well
So below is our final formula: “=OFFSET($A$2:$A$15,,,COUNTA($A$2:$A$15),)”
Step 4: Select “C4” cell and create “Data Validation” list by pasting the formula under “Source” as below:
Click “OK”
Note: You can create a named range by using the same formula and then may use that named range instead of pasting the formula under data validation list
Step 5: Here is your Validation list
Note: Click here “Data Validation” to learn this feature in detail
And once you add a new value in “A9” cell, it will automatically added to drop down list as below:
Hope you enjoyed this article. See you soon again with a new article
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