Have you ever found yourself struggling to keep your Google Sheet entries consistent? If so, then data validation is a powerful tool that can help you. In this article, we’ll show you how to use data validation in Google Sheets to ensure consistency in your data entries.
To get started with data validation, go to “Data” and then “Validation.” Here, you’ll see the option to set a range. For example, you can select a specific range of cells that you want to apply validation to, or you can define a range by typing in the cells manually.
Once you have selected your range, you can choose a validation criterion. This can be a list of items, a range of values, or a specific numerical criterion. Let’s say you want to create a list of meal types, such as lactose-free, vegetarian, and kosher. You can enter these items into the list and separate them by commas.
After you have saved your list, you will see little arrows appear next to the cell. If you try to type something into the cell that is not on the list, you will get an error message. You can also choose to reject the input altogether, which will prevent any data entry that is not on the list.
If you have a long list of items that you want to apply data validation to, you can create a separate sheet and use that sheet as your data source. You can then select “List from a range” and choose the range that contains your data.
If you need to add an item to your list, simply go back to the data validation settings and add the item to your list. The list will update automatically, and you won’t need to redo the settings.
Finally, you can also use data validation to set numerical criteria. For example, you can set a criterion that allows only a certain number of people to attend an event. You can choose to reject any input that does not meet this criterion.
In conclusion, data validation is a powerful tool that can help you keep your Google Sheet entries consistent. By using data validation, you can ensure that your data is accurate and reliable.