How to Create Interactive Drop-Down Lists in Google Sheets for Better Data Entry?

Are you tired of messy data in your spreadsheets? Or maybe you’re trying to save time and reduce errors within your Google Sheets document?

Creating interactive drop-down lists within your business spreadsheets can instantly make your data entry process faster, cleaner, and foolproof.

To create a drop-down list in Google Sheets, simply use the built-in ‘Data validation’ function. 

This essentially allows you to restrict the values that can be entered into a cell by providing a predefined list of options.

You can then customize these lists to make them more visual, dynamic, and interactive.

So, how exactly can you make drop-down lists in Google Sheets?

Read more: How to create checkboxes in Google Sheets?

To create drop-down lists in Google Sheets for better data entry:

1. Open your Google Sheets spreadsheet.
2. Click the cell or highlight a range of cells (where you want the drop-down list to appear).
3. Select ‘Data’ from the top menu and then ‘Data Validation’ from the drop-down list.
4. Click ‘Add rule’ from the side panel.
5. Below ‘Criteria’, click ‘Drop-down’ or ‘Drop-down (from a range)’ depending on the type of drop-down list you want to create.
6. If you select ‘Drop-down’, type your selections within the fields (e.g., To-do, In Progress, Completed).
7. If you select ‘Drop-down (from a range)’, enter the entire range that contains your list items (e.g., A1:A20) and then type your selections (as shown in the above step).
8. Customize the appearance of your drop-down options by assigning colors to the background of your drop-down items.
9. Tick 'Allow multiple selections' for multiple drop-down choices (optional).
10. Select ‘Done’.

You should then instantly see your drop-down list active within the selected cell(s)!

While this basic setup gets the job done, it’s static. This means if your list of options change over time, the drop-down won’t update automatically.

Luckily, it is possible to create dynamic, interactive drop-down lists in Google Sheets. Let’s find out how.

Read more: How to find duplicates in Google Sheets? 

Sure, static drop-down lists are great, but what about if your list grows or changes? Or what if you want to tailor drop-down options based on a previous selection?

I have good news for you!

You can make your spreadsheets more interactive and user-friendly by using the INDIRECT function or by creating a dependent drop-down list.

Let’s explore the step-by-step process of both now:

The INDIRECT function essentially pulls data from a dynamic range that updates itself as your information evolves.

Here’s how you can create a self-updating drop-down list in Google Sheets using the INDIRECT function: 

1. Start with the usual steps for creating a basic drop-down list through the ‘Data > Data validation > Add rule’ top menu.
2. Select the data range.
3. Click ‘Custom formula is’ under ‘Criteria’.
4. Within the ‘Formula’ field, type the ‘=INDIRECT’ formula.

For example, if your list is in A1:A10 on a sheet called Product List, try this formula: =INDIRECT("Product List!A1:A" & COUNTA(OptionsList!A:A))

In this example, the formula automatically expands or shrinks the list based on how many entries are in column A of the‘Product List’ sheet.

And that’s it! You now have a live, dynamic drop-down that updates itself as your data grows.

A dependent drop-down list is essentially a list where available choices change based on what’s selected in the main drop-down list.

This is perfect for things like:

• Countries/Cities.
• Categories/Sub-categories.
• Departments/Teams, etc.

For the purpose of this article, let’s say you want to use a dependent drop-down list for countries and cities within the USA and the UK.

Basically, by applying a dependent drop-down, if you select ‘USA’ as the first drop-down list, the second drop-down will only show cities within the USA.

Here’s how you can create interactive drop-down lists using this method:

In one column within your spreadsheet, enter your main list items (e.g., Countries: USA, UK, Canada).

Create one sub-list per main item (e.g., USA_Cities) in adjacent columns (or on a separate sheet) and then list all USA-based cities in the same column.

Follow the same process for UK cities in another column.

Select each list of cities and then go to ‘Data > Named ranges’.

Name each range exactly as the main item (e.g., USA_Cities, UK_Cities).

To create your main drop-down list, select a cell (e.g., A1) for the country list.

Go to ‘Data >Data validation’ and select a range.

Input your main list (e.g., USA, UK, Canada).

Select the cell where the dependent list should appear (e.g., B1).

Go to ‘Data > Data validation’ again.

Click ‘Drop down (from a range)’.

In the range field, enter the formula: =INDIRECT(A1 & "_Cities" assuming A1 contains the main selection.

Click ‘Done’ and test it for yourself.

Now, when you choose a country in the first drop-down list, the second one should only show relevant cities!

This is just one example, but the same format works for different departments and teams products and sub-products, and more.

Additionally, you can add conditional formatting to make the drop-downs even more visually dynamic.

Read more: How to lock cells in Google Sheets?

Once you’ve got the hang of creating dynamic drop-down lists, it’s time to think bigger!

If you’re looking to inject seriously creative and interactive features into your Google Sheets spreadsheet, here are a few smart ways to level up:

Dependent drop-downs: Create multi-tiered drop-downs where the second list dynamically changes based on the first selection, which is great for product categories, locations, or service tiers.

With just a bit of imagination, drop-down lists can go from a basic input tool to a powerful feature that enhances interactivity, usability, and data control across your entire spreadsheet!

Read more: Google Sheets Sales Dashboard.

Drop-down lists are a smart, simple yet powerful way to help guide users, enforce consistency, and dramatically cut down on data-entry errors.

By using drop-down lists for your Google Sheets data, you can transform your spreadsheet into a more efficient, interactive, and user-friendly tool!

Here are some of the benefits of using drop-down lists:

Boosting accuracy: Say goodbye to typos and mismatched entries! With a set list of choices, your data always stays clean and consistent.

Speeding up data entry: Save time and reduce frustration by selecting from a list.

Keeping your data organized: Easily sort, filter, and build meaningful reports.

Effective data analysis: Accurate data entry leads to more accurate charts, pivot tables, and summary insights.

User-friendly spreadsheets: Drop-downs simplify your spreadsheets, which is great for those unfamiliar with Google Sheets.

Drop-down lists are basically a minor tweak that delivers huge gains in control, clarity, and speed.

Whether you're managing inventory, tracking leads, or collecting responses, they’re seriously an essential tool for more intelligent data management!

Sheetify CRM takes full advantage of drop-down lists to make managing your business smoother, faster, and more accurate.

With innovative, pre-built drop-down menus throughout the entire Sheetify interface, these drop-downs eliminate guesswork and ensure consistent data entry across your CRM.

From assigning tasks, updating lead statuses, categorizing clients, or tracking inventory, these interactive drop-downs can reduce errors and speed up workflows.

And many of Sheetify's drop-downs are dynamic and customizable, meaning you can tailor them to fit your business structure, categories, or sales process!

This is just one of the subtle yet powerful features that make Sheetify CRM feel less like a spreadsheet and more like a smart, streamlined business platform.

Thanks so much for reading!

Want to learn more about Sheetify CRM and other Sheetify business toolkits? Check out my entire range of videos here.