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Limit what a user enters in a cell

You can limit what a user enters in a cell using Data Validation.  You can limit the cell to be between two particular values, a whole number, a particular text length, or values in a drop down box.  You can also choose to show the user an Input Message and an Error Message.  For the validation to be effective, you should give the user an error message.

1. Highlight the cell or cells to have the validation

2. Click on the Data menu and select Validation

3. Click on the Settings tab and the drop down arrow for the Allow field

4. Choose the type of data allowed and put in any limits

5. If the data is in a list, make sure there is a tick in the In-cell dropdown box

6. Click on the Input Message tab

7. If you do not want to show an input message, click on the tick in the Show input message box

8. If you want to show an input message, put the title and an appropriate message into the fields

9. Click on the Error Alert tab

10. Choose the Style of error message.  If you choose Stop, it will not let the user move to another cell until they have put in a valid value

11. Type an appropriate title and message for this cell.

12. Click OK.

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