Questions and Answers
What is an alternative way to supply values to a dropdown menu?
Using a worksheet reference
What happens when a data validation formula returns an error?
Excel ignores the formula
What is the purpose of a dummy formula in data validation?
To test the data validation formula
How can you specify values for a dropdown menu using a named range?
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What is the result of the formula AND(LEFT(A1)="z",LEN(A1)=5)?
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What is the advantage of using named ranges in data validation?
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What is the purpose of the data validation feature?
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What is the characteristic of data validation formulas that return errors?
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How can you use a worksheet reference to supply values to a dropdown menu?
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What is the effect of using the formula =AND(A1>TODAY(),A1
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Study Notes
Data Validation in Excel
- Data validation is a feature in Excel used to control what a user can enter into a cell
- Data validation can be used to ensure a value is a number between 1 and 6, a date occurs in the next 30 days, or a text entry is less than 25 characters
- Data validation can display a message to a user telling them what is allowed or stop invalid user input
- Data validation can also present the user with a predefined choice in a dropdown menu
Defining Data Validation Rules
- Data validation rules are defined in a window with 3 tabs: Settings, Input Message, and Error Alert
- The Settings tab is where validation criteria are entered
- Built-in validation rules with various options are available, or a custom formula can be used to validate input
Settings Tab Options
- Whole Number: only whole numbers are allowed, with options to further limit input
- Decimal: allows decimal values, with options to further limit input
- List: only values from a predefined list are allowed, presented to the user as a dropdown menu
- Date: only dates are allowed, with options to further limit input
- Time: only times are allowed, with options to further limit input
- Text length: validates input based on number of characters or digits
- Custom: validates user input using a custom formula
- Ignore blank: tells Excel to not validate cells that contain no value
- Apply these changes to other cells with the same settings: updates validation applied to other cells when it matches the original validation
Dropdown Menu Options
- Hardcoded values can be entered into the settings box or a range on the worksheet can be selected
- Named ranges can be used to specify values
- Dropdown menus can be created using a worksheet reference or a named range
Error Alert Options
- Stop: stops users from entering invalid data, with a retry and cancel option
- Warning: warns users that data is invalid, with a yes, no, and cancel option
- Information: informs users that data is invalid, with an OK and cancel option
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