How To Create a Custom List in Excel

Creating custom lists in Excel can streamline repetitive tasks, allowing for quick data entry and consistent formatting. This guide provides step-by-step instructions to efficiently create and utilize custom lists for enhanced productivity in Excel.

While Excel offers robust features, we'll also explore how using Sourcetable can simplify the process, making custom list creation even easier.

Create Custom List in Excel

What is a Custom List?

Excel's Custom List feature enables the creation of personalized lists for sequential data entry. These lists facilitate the input of common data such as days, months, region names, department names, and job titles. The feature ensures consistency and saves time by using AutoFill to populate cells automatically.

Benefits of Custom Lists

Custom lists are practical for organizing and entering data in a specific sequence. They are particularly useful when dealing with repetitive entries or when sorting data by custom criteria. By streamlining data entry, custom lists enhance efficiency in Excel.

Creating a Custom List

Excel offers three methods to create custom lists: directly entering the list, importing from worksheet cells, or from a named cell range. On both Windows and Mac, users can access these options to customize their experience.

Step-by-Step Guide

To create a custom list, you can either type the list manually, import it from a selection of cells within your worksheet, or use a predefined named range. After entering or selecting your list, Excel's AutoFill feature allows you to populate adjacent cells by dragging the cursor from the cell's lower-right corner.

Using Custom Lists for Data Entry

Once a custom list is created, it becomes available for headings and dropdown lists, thereby expediting data entry. Excel's AutoFill can quickly fill in cells with items from your custom list, making the process of entering data more efficient.

Conclusion

Excel's custom lists are an invaluable feature for users who require structured and rapid data entry. With the ability to create and use custom lists, Excel users can significantly reduce the time spent on repetitive tasks and focus on more complex data analysis.

Excel vs. Sourcetable: A Modern Spreadsheet Comparison

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