Data Validation Multi-Select Premium Guide
This guide shows how use the Setup workbook, to customize and install the Data Validation Multi-Select Premium (DVMSP) kit from Contextures.
Videos: DVMSP Videos page - Quick Demo, and step-by-step video for using the Setup workbook.
Tips & Fixes: Check the DVMSP Frequently Asked Questons page.
DVMSP Intro
With the DVMSP kit, you can set up popup lists in an Excel workbook, to quickly and easily select items from a drop down listt. Before you can use the popup list, you must have named ranges set up in your workbook, and drop down lists that are based on those ranges.
Follow the steps below, to set up the DVMSP popup list in your workbook.
Open the DVMSP Setup File
After you download and unzip the DVMSP kit, open the DVMSP Setup file. A DMVSP tab will appear on the Excel Ribbon -- click that to see the DVMSP commands.
The Overview page is showing, and you can click the Overview command at any time, to return to that page.
Prepare Your Excel File
Before you can use the popup list in your workbook, you'll have to prepare your file, by setting up one or more drop down lists.
On the DMVSP tab click the Prepare Your File command, then follow the steps on that page.
Change the Column Headings
Next, you will be customizing the DVMSP code, so it runs the way you need it to. Some of the options ask for a column number, so use the command to change the column headings from letters to numbers..
If your column headings currently show letters, on the DMVSP tab click the Column Headingscommand, to change them to numbers.
Later, you can click that command again, to change them back to letters..
Customize the Code - Basic
Next, click the Customize the Code - Basic command on the DVMSP tab.
The Customize the Code - Basic sheet appears, and there are drop down lists where you can select the options for your workbook. In the example shown below, column 5 in the workbook will be Single Selections, and all the other columns will allow multiple selections.
Customize the Code - Advanced
Next, click the Customize the Code - Advanced command on the DVMSP tab.
The Customize the Code - Advanced sheet appears, and there are drop down lists where you can select the options for your workbook. You can select from the drop down lists, or click the Apply Default Settings button, to use those settings.
Trust Access to Visual Basic Project
The next step will be to copy the code to your workbook. Click the Copy the Code and Forms command on the DVMSP tab.
In order to automatically copy the code from the Setup file, into your workbook, Excel must have permission to access the VB Project. If you don't have this setting turned on, you will see the Trust Access to Visual Basic Project page. Follow the steps there, to change the setting. Then, click the Copy the Code and Forms command on the DVMSP tab again.
This is an application level setting, so you will only have to do this once, not for every workbook.
If the Trust page does not appear, go to the section below.
Copy the Code
When you click the Copy the Code and Forms command on the DVMSP tab, a form appears, with two drop down lists.
- In the first list, select the workbook into which you want to copy the popup list.
- In the second list, select the worksheet where the popup list should appear.
Click OK and the popup list form, the Add New Items form, and a code module, are copied to your workbook.
When the confirmation message appears, click OK, then test the popup list in your workbook.
Version Details
Details on changes to recent versions:
Version 6.13 - Jan. 23, 2019: Minor change to Setup file - fixed problem when re-installing forms
Version 6.12 - Jan. 21, 2019: Added Get Started Guide, minor changes to Setup file and User Guide
Version 6.11 - Nov. 16, 2018: Minor change to allow multiple items in "Exclude Columns" settings
Version 6.10 - Oct. 17, 2018: Minor update, to fix code when popup is set for "specific cells only".
Version 6.09 - Dec. 17, 2017: Corrected Setup file drop down for separator options
Version 6.08 - Apr. 15, 2017: Added "cells" as an option for popup settings. Previously, only "rows" and "columns"
Version 6.07 - Apr. 11, 2017: Code to hide ALL button for single selection columns
Version 6.06 - Feb. 20, 2016: Changes to code for New Items, to store previously checked selections. Now, the new item appears at the end of the list, temporarily. Next time the list opens, items are in A-Z order. Both forms and the code module were updated. No change to the worksheet code.
Version 6.05 - Oct. 5, 2016: Minor change to code in popup form, to handle lists with only one item.
More Questions
If you have any other questions about the Data Validation Multi-Select Premium tool, please send them to me by email:
ddalgleish @ contextures.com
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Last updated: January 23, 2019 9:41 AM