How to quickly create menus and dropdown lists in Google Sheets

If you're unsure how to create menus or dropdown lists in Google Sheets, please refer to the article below for detailed steps.

How to create a dropdown list in Google Sheets

1. Create menus and dropdown lists in Google Sheets

Creating menus and dropdown lists in Google Sheets isn't too complicated. Follow the steps below:

Step 1: First, open your Google Sheets file and select the cells where you want to create a dropdown menu.
Step 2: On the spreadsheet toolbar, click Data => Data Validation command.

Step 3: In the Data Validation window, under the Criteria menu , select the option List From a Range or List of Items .

In there:

- The "List From a Range " option displays a list of values ​​selected from cells within the same worksheet or from another worksheet. - The "List of Items
" option displays a list of predefined data items, which can be text or numbers, and you must manually enter each value. Use commas (no spaces) to separate the values. Additionally, this option does not allow you to insert data directly from cells on another worksheet.

In this tutorial, TipsMake uses the List of Items option and enters the values.

Step 4: After entering the data and values ​​you want to display in the menu or drop-down list, check the box next to the " Show Drop-Down List In Cell " option to activate it.

Additionally, you can check the " Show Warning" option to display a warning when users enter invalid data, or the "Reject Input " option to prevent them from entering or editing data on your spreadsheet.

Step 5: Finally, check the " Show validation help text " option to suggest what the user can select in the boxes and enter any instructions.

Step 6: Click Save to complete the process.

2. How to use menus and dropdown lists in Google Sheets

After creating a menu or dropdown list in Google Sheets, you can click the downward arrow icon and select any value from the list in the spreadsheet cells.

If the "Show validation help text " option is enabled , the text will appear whenever the user selects one of the validated cells.

If someone enters invalid values ​​and you have enabled the Show Warning option , the invalid data will be highlighted in the cell. Hover over it to see the full cause of the error.

Alternatively, if the Reject Input option is enabled , the following warning will appear on the screen indicating invalid data entry:

If you need to delete or modify any item from the dropdown menu, simply go to Data => Data Validation to edit any item from the list or dropdown menu you created.

Finally, to remove the menu or dropdown list, simply click the Remove Validation button located in the bottom corner of the Data Validation window.

By now, you should know how to create menus and dropdown lists in Google Sheets. Don't forget to share your feedback and reviews with TipsMake!

Download Google Sheets for Android and iOS here:

=> Download Google Sheets for Android
=> Download Google Sheets for iPhone

Additionally, readers can refer to some articles already available on TipsMake to learn more about how to use filters in Sheets.