How to change contents of list dropdown

[david.karr]

I find using lists for data validation very handy, but also very
confusing. This is what allows me to have a dropdown containing
possible cell values. Defining and altering these lists seems very odd
and awkward.

I managed to get a set of lists working, so that they show in the
dropdown. However, I needed to add an entry to the top of one of the
lists. So, I added a row before the first one, but when I click the
dropdown arrow on cells referencing that list, it still shows the old
list. What do I have to do to get the cells to use the new list?

 

[Debra Dalgleish]

If you insert a row above row 1, it pushes your list down, so it starts
on row 2. The data validation list automatically adjusts, to use the
list that now starts on row 2, and ignores what you added in row 1.

You could insert a row within the list, and it would be automatically
included in the data validation list. Or, use a dynamic range, which
will expand as you add new items. There are instructions here:

http://www.contextures.com/xlNames01.html