Building Dropdown Lists

A dropdown list gives a cell a small arrow that reveals a menu of allowed choices. Users pick instead of type.

This is the friendliest form of data validation:

• No typos — choices are pre-approved.
• Consistent spelling across the whole column.
• Faster data entry for repeated values like statuses or regions.

Behind the scenes, a dropdown is just a validation rule of type List.

The simplest dropdown uses values typed directly into the rule. In Excel's Data Validation dialog, choose Allow: List and in the Source box type:

Yes,No,Maybe

Separate items with commas. In Google Sheets, choose Dropdown and enter each option.

• Great for tiny, rarely-changing lists.
• Downside: editing the list means reopening the rule.