Spreadsheets are like the wild west of data entry. You can type anything you want in any cell, without any restrictions. You could even write “orange” in a column labeled Birthday. While this freedom is liberating, it often leads to chaos and mistakes.
Luckily, Google Sheets offers a solution called data validation. This tool allows you to set rules and restrictions, ensuring that only specific types of information are entered in a particular cell, row, or column. Whether it’s limiting dates, creating dropdown menus, or setting numerical ranges, data validation acts as a safeguard against spreadsheet anarchy.
Data validation proves especially useful when collaborating with others, as it ensures that only relevant and accurate information is added. Let’s dive into how you can leverage this feature.
Getting Started with Data Validation
Imagine this scenario: you need to collect information about your coworkers’ pets, but you want to ensure the accuracy of the data. This is the perfect situation for data validation.
To begin, let’s focus on the second column, Type, and restrict it to accept only the four primary types of pets: dog, cat, chicken, and other. Start by selecting the column, then click on Data > Data validation in the menu bar.
A Data validation window will appear, already populated with the appropriate column under Cell range. Under Criteria, choose List of items, and enter the four pet types separated by commas. You can also decide whether to display a dropdown menu and whether typing anything other than the specified options should be allowed.
Once you click Save, a dropdown menu will appear for all cells in that column. This sets a solid foundation for your data validation. Now, let’s move on to capturing various pet statistics.
Every pet attribute is scored on a scale of 1 to 20, and you want to enforce this range to prevent any exaggerated scores. Choose the column, click on Data > Data validation in the menu bar, and use the Number criterion to define a range of 1 to 20.
In this case, we want to reject any invalid inputs, so configure the validation accordingly for all four primary pet stats.
Finally, if you want to establish whether each pet is considered Very Good or not, you can use a checkbox as the validation. It’s a straightforward but versatile feature applicable in various contexts.
These are just a few examples of what you can achieve with data validation in Google Sheets. The possibilities are vast, so I encourage you to explore and experiment with the tool to get a feel for its full potential.
How to Automatically Color Code Cells in Google Sheets
You may have noticed that in the example above, the Type column is color-coded. Although this isn’t a data validation feature per se, it complements the dropdown menu option nicely. Conditional formatting allows you to automatically apply colors based on specific criteria.
To color-code the Type column, select it, then click on Format > Conditional formatting in the menu bar. From there, you can set up custom rules to dictate the colors.
For instance, if you want cat cells to be blue, choose the Text contains option in the dropdown and enter Cat. Create similar rules for the other pet types as desired.
While this example is pet-related, you can apply conditional formatting to various scenarios, even though I, personally, may not need it.
Google Sheets: The Ultimate Flexible Tool
Spreadsheets may not be perfect databases, but with data validation, Google Sheets becomes a little more like one. Its flexibility empowers you to create custom tools without additional costs. This feature is a significant reason why Zapier’s Google Sheets integrations are incredibly popular among users.
So, embrace the power of data validation in Google Sheets. It’s the key to maintaining order amidst the chaos of spreadsheets. For more information on Google Sheets and other helpful tools, visit Mr Reviews.
