These lists can contain one-word items (apple), or multiple-word items (green beans). Next, type the dependent lists, with the headings Fruit List (in cell D2) and Vegetable List (in cell F2). Use multiple-word items in the main list, see: Using Two Word Items Add the Dependent Lists This is important, because those words will be used as Excel names, and two-word names are not allowed as names. NOTE: The Produce list has one-word items in it - Fruit and Vegetable.

In cells B3 and B4, type Fruit and Vegetable.

In cell B2, type the main list heading, Produce List.

Start with the main list - Produce types. To type the lists, go to the Lists sheet. To create each list, you'll do three things: The main list has produce types, and the other two lists have items for the dependent drop downs. Next, you'll create lists with items for the drop down lists.

Insert a new sheet in the workbook, and name that sheet 'Lists'.

Change the name for Sheet1 to 'DataEntry'.

This example will have a workbook with two sheets - a data entry sheet, and a sheet with lists. There are a few steps for setting up the drop down lists, and the details are in the sections below.

Then, in column C, a dependent drop down list show items for the selected product type only.

Select a produce type (fruit or vegetable) in column B.

In the screen shot below, you can see the completed data entry sheet.

This example uses Fruit and Vegetable lists. Here are the step-by-step instructions for making dependent drop down lists in Excel. The video, and the full transcript is on the Dependent Drop Down Lists Video page. In this short video, you'll see how to set up a main drop down list, with a dependent drop down list in the next column. There are setup instructions and a video in the sections below. In cell C4, the dependent drop down list changed automatically, and now it shows the Vegetable list

Next, in cell B4, Vegetable was selected as Produce Type.

Fruit was selected as Produce Type in cell B3, and the drop down showed the Fruit list in cell D3.

In an Excel dependent drop down list, the list of items changes, depending on the value

Download the Sample Files What Is a Dependent Drop Down List?

Drop down list in excel