Excel: Creating a scroll down menu in a column

I need for each cell in a particular column, to populate ONLY with the
choices given in a scroll down menu for each cell in that column. The column
is entitled "Project Status" and the only word choices that should populate
this cell, which are to be chosen from a scroll down menu, are: Completed, On
Track, Postponed, Behind.

Thanks for your help. mj

Try Data Validation:

Select ALL of the Project Status input cells
<data><validation>
Allow: List
Source: Completed,On Track,Postponed,Behind
Click the [OK] button

Now, those cells will only allow the listed items.

For more information on Data Validation, see Debra Dalgleish's website:
http://www.contextures.com/xlDataVal01.html

Does that help?
***********
Regards,
Ron

XL2002, WinXP


"Maryjerk" wrote:

> I need for each cell in a particular column, to populate ONLY with the
> choices given in a scroll down menu for each cell in that column. The column
> is entitled "Project Status" and the only word choices that should populate
> this cell, which are to be chosen from a scroll down menu, are: Completed, On
> Track, Postponed, Behind.
>
> Thanks for your help. mj

Ron -

You are a Rock Star. Thanks so much as that worked beautifully. I'm much
more proficient at MS Word and PP, and only an average Excel user, so the
quick response and the great dirrection are MUCH appreciated.

Is it possible to take this one step further? I'd like for the words On
Track, Ongoing, and Completed to appear in Green, and for the words Behind
Schedule and Postponed to appear in red. I know there is a way to do this
automatically with values, but I'm at a loss as to how to do this in my
present situation. Any further advice is greatly appreciated.

MJ

"Maryjerk" wrote:

> I need for each cell in a particular column, to populate ONLY with the
> choices given in a scroll down menu for each cell in that column. The column
> is entitled "Project Status" and the only word choices that should populate
> this cell, which are to be chosen from a scroll down menu, are: Completed, On
> Track, Postponed, Behind.
>
> Thanks for your help. mj

Try Conditional Formatting:

Assuming you want the formatting to impact A1:A50

1)Just fomat the cells to show Green text.
That will cover these values: On Track, Ongoing, and Completed

2)Set the CF to cover the Behind Schedule and Postponed values...

Select the A1:A50, with A1 as the Active Cell
<format><conditional formatting>
Formula is: =or(A1="Behind Schedule",A1="Postponed")
Click the [Format] button and set the format (red text)
Click the [OK] buttons

Using the above, the green font will be used, unless the cell value is
"Behind Schedule" or "Postponed".

Does that help?
***********
Regards,
Ron

XL2002, WinXP


"Maryjerk" wrote:

> Ron -
>
> You are a Rock Star. Thanks so much as that worked beautifully. I'm much
> more proficient at MS Word and PP, and only an average Excel user, so the
> quick response and the great dirrection are MUCH appreciated.
>
> Is it possible to take this one step further? I'd like for the words On
> Track, Ongoing, and Completed to appear in Green, and for the words Behind
> Schedule and Postponed to appear in red. I know there is a way to do this
> automatically with values, but I'm at a loss as to how to do this in my
> present situation. Any further advice is greatly appreciated.
>
> MJ
>
> "Maryjerk" wrote:
>
> > I need for each cell in a particular column, to populate ONLY with the
> > choices given in a scroll down menu for each cell in that column. The column
> > is entitled "Project Status" and the only word choices that should populate
> > this cell, which are to be chosen from a scroll down menu, are: Completed, On
> > Track, Postponed, Behind.
> >
> > Thanks for your help. mj