You’ve probably used an Excel data validation drop down list, where you can click the arrow, and select an item to fill the cell. With a bit of programming, you can customize a drop down list, to select multiple items.
Single Selection Drop Down
By default, data validation drop downs only allow you to select one item.
In the worksheet shown below, you can select a month from the drop down, and it overwrites any previous selection in that cell.
Select Multiple Items From the Drop Down List
Instead of limiting users to a single selection, you can use a bit of programming, combined with the data validation list, and allow multiple selections.
You can display all the selected items across a row, or down a column, or keep them in the same cell.
Keep reading, to see some examples of this technique, and how it works.
There is also a video that shows the multiple selection drop down list. To try it for yourself, follow the download link f
Watch the Data Validation Video
To see these techniques, and a few other multiple selection examples, you can watch this short video.
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Hi Mary,
If you need to sort, you will need to separate out your items. It will sort by the first item it see in the cell.
Hope this helps,
Juanita
I am really a novice programmer and I can’t seem to get this to work for me. Can you please explain how to modify the code to apply the comma separators in the same cell to the entire sheet?
Any help is appreciated!
Thanks!
Cameron
Cameron, right-click on the CommaSeparated worksheet tab and delete the lines with the red dots. Then the code should apply to the entire sheet.
I am trying to use the code from the “Same Cell” tab. I am deleting the lines with the red dots and I can not get the code to run.
I am obviously doing something wrong, but I do not know what it is.
I am inserting a module in VB, pasting the code, deleting the lines with red dots (without re-formatting the code. Do I need to be deleting the blank lines where the code used to be and evening up the tabbing of the “End If”s) and then hitting run, naming it “comma” and trying it out in the sheet.
Can you point out if this is the wrong way to go about this?
Thanks!
Cameron
Cameron, the code should be pasted onto the module for the worksheet where you want to use the code.
So, if you’re trying to use this on a worksheet named “MyDataEntry”, right-click on that sheet’s tab, click View Code, and paste the code there.
I am new in excel, I am also trying to enter multiple dates in one excel cell but fail to do it, It will be very appreciated if some one help me in this regards. Please do it without VB.
hallelujiah!!!
it works!
thanks you, debra, so much!