Smart Dependent Drop-Down Lists in Excel: Expandable & Exclude Blank Cells

Dive into the world of Excel with our guide on creating dynamic and smart dependent drop-down lists! This tutorial tackles two common challenges: expanding lists automatically with new data and ensuring no empty fields in your lists. Ideal for both beginners and advanced users, this video offers two methods: using the OFFSET formula and table referencing.

✅ What You'll Learn:
▪️ The basics of creating main and dependent drop-down lists in Excel.
▪️ Using the OFFSET formula for dynamic list adjustments.
▪️ Implementing table referencing for efficient data management.
▪️ Techniques to ensure your lists automatically update with new entries.
▪️ Solving the problem of varying list lengths in dependent drop-downs.

Create drop-down lists in Excel that are dynamic - #1 They expand as new data is added to the list, #2, they are dependent on another list and #3, they exclude blank/empty cells on the bottom of each list. Basically they are only restricted to the cells that have values in them.

In this video you'll learn how to use the OFFSET function to get fully dynamic dependent drop down lists.
You'll then see another version which uses INDEX & MATCH as well as Excel Tables. We plug in the formula we create inside Name Manager and then use the new name inside our custom data validation formula box.

★ Links to related videos: ★

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#Excel

[anillukhi]

Leila, since I have discovered your videos, you have been my go to for ALL excel related questions. There are countless videos out there but what sets you apart is the way you explain it! Thank you for posting the amazing videos....

[andrehinds]

I love excel and I've been known to be able to create some nice sheets and simple workflows but seeing your skills. I feel like such a novice but in a good way. I am extremely impressed with your tone, your explanations and you examples. You are awesome. You've gained a subscriber today. I hope you gain many many more!

[opt]

Alt + D + L will bring up the data validation details/window for your selected cells... super helpful when doing lots of these and playing around with ideas 👍🏼

[HollandHillSpies]

Thanks Leila! two thumbs up for both methods, I find the table method far more intuitive and easier to recall and reuse.

[rsnsep]

I was actually looking 3rd part of the video (deal with table)for my solution, hats off to you again.

[MrSupernova]

This is incredibly complicated. Its amazing to me how the human brain's intuition can quickly deduce information effortlessly compared to the difficulty in passing on that problem solving ability to a sophisticated program like Excel.

[kuuuyajim]

You are a lifesaver! I used the offset method in creating drop-down list with 198 tables as reference and it worked like magic! Thank you Leila! ❤️

[Kooseandco]

Thank you so much for starting with a hard example because obviously people that have to look up tutorials know what they're doing and are obviously already fluent with the match function <3

[brighnquisitive]

fantastic! I'll be using this indispensable information immediately. ..you're the best Leila

[scottwillis]

Love it an understatement in the feeling I have toward your Excel knowleage. Thank-you so much, you explain these concepts better than a paid course.

[bensharratt]

you do the best excel tutorials online, fact. Just wish you did a few more about macros though :(

[oilwings]

Love this video! My go to Excel help. I prefer the table method since it's dynamic and I can sort each table independently.

[einyv]

I used this the other day and used the table version, thank you!!! Using tables for the list and creating namesd ranges made running totals and remaining volume easy.

[tbg]

Your videos are the best, clearest, easiest to understand Excel instruction I have seen, and I strongly recommend them to my friends.
Suggestion for your dependent dynamic dropdowns -- the top level list across the top row can be dynamic, too, like the second level lists down the columns.

[avbestlife]

I cant thank you enough, have been trying for ages going thru several youtube videos, and you finally solved my you....thank you

[vrishalchawathe]

Hi, I found the table formula more convenient as it directly adds any new addition to the list automatically and hence negates the complexity of adding another offset formula. However, the whole idea itself was terrific. Thank you very much

[mazahiranwar]

Any excel lover who love excel will not resist subscribing your channel.

Cool stuff Leila. Thank you very much

[doorbs]

OMG your amazing!! This has just solved a problem I’ve been working on for hours!! I was using dynamic validation using tables but needed a shared document!! Obviously you can’t share a document with tables so this has cured my headache, thank you so much 😊

[pac]

Thanks so much for going over multiple methods! The Offset method worked best for my purposes, great tutorial 👍

[AmitChandra_YouTube]

Ma'am, Excellent Tutor you are. Thanks a lot. Your solution saved my time through the 1st method. I have to modify it very little and working in my worksheet effortlessly. Be Safe and Healthy, and happy also.