How to Create a Drop-Down List in Excel with Multiple Selections

Excel drop-down lists are a powerful way to make your spreadsheets cleaner, more user-friendly, and less prone to input errors. Typically, drop-down lists allow you to select just one option from a predefined list. But what if you want to select multiple items from the same drop-down? Great news it’s absolutely possible! In this post, I’ll guide you step-by-step on how to create a drop-down list in Excel that supports multiple selections.

Why Use a Drop-Down List with Multiple Selections?

Before we dive into the how-to, here’s why multiple-selection drop-down lists can be a game-changer:

• Better data entry: Allows users to choose several options without cluttering the sheet.
• Efficiency: Eliminates the need for multiple columns or cells to capture multiple choices.
• Professional look: Keeps your spreadsheet clean and organized.

Step 1: Create a Basic Drop-Down List

If you’re new to drop-down lists, start by making a simple list:

1. Prepare your list of options in a column somewhere on your sheet (for example, A2:A6 with options like “Apple,” “Banana,” “Cherry,” etc.).
2. Select the cell where you want the drop-down list (say, C2).
3. Go to the Data tab → click Data Validation.
4. In the Settings tab, choose List in the Allow box.
5. In the Source field, select the range containing your options (e.g., =$A$2:$A$6).
6. Click OK.

Now you have a drop-down list with single selection!

Step 2: Enable Multiple Selections with VBA

Excel doesn’t natively support selecting multiple items from a drop-down list. To enable this, we need a little help from VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) the scripting language built into Excel.

Here’s how to add the VBA code:

1. Press Alt + F11 to open the Visual Basic for Applications editor.
2. In the left pane, find your workbook name and right-click ThisWorkbook or the sheet where your drop-down list is.
3. Select View Code.
4. Paste the following VBA code into the window:

vbaCopyEditPrivate Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
    Dim Oldvalue As String
    Dim Newvalue As String
    Dim rng As Range
    
    ' Change this range to the cells where you want multiple selection drop-downs
    Set rng = Me.Range("C2:C10")
    
    If Not Intersect(Target, rng) Is Nothing Then
        Application.EnableEvents = False
        Newvalue = Target.Value
        Application.Undo
        Oldvalue = Target.Value
        Target.Value = Newvalue
        
        If Oldvalue = "" Then
            ' do nothing
        Else
            If InStr(1, Oldvalue, Newvalue) = 0 Then
                Target.Value = Oldvalue & ", " & Newvalue
            Else
                Target.Value = Oldvalue ' prevent duplicates
            End If
        End If
        
        Application.EnableEvents = True
    End If
End Sub

5. Change the range "C2:C10" in the code to match the cells where your drop-down lists are.
6. Close the VBA editor (Alt + Q).

Step 3: Test Your Multi-Select Drop-Down

Now go back to your Excel sheet and try selecting an option from your drop-down list. Then, click again on the same cell and select another option. Instead of replacing the first choice, Excel will append the new selection separated by a comma.

Pro Tip:

• To remove an item, simply edit the cell manually.
• You can customize the delimiter in the VBA code (currently set to ", ").

Additional Tips and Considerations

• Save your file as a macro-enabled workbook (.xlsm) to keep the VBA code.
• VBA macros may be disabled on some corporate systems ensure macros are enabled before using this feature.
• This approach works best for short lists; for very large datasets, consider using form controls or more advanced tools.

Wrapping Up

how to create drop down list in excel with multiple selections? Creating a drop-down list with multiple selections in Excel is a clever way to improve data input without cluttering your workbook. With a bit of VBA magic, you can easily extend Excel’s capabilities and impress your colleagues with your enhanced spreadsheet skills.