The Guide to Data Validation and Why It Matters in Excel

Data validation is a process of checking the data entered in a spreadsheet or database to ensure that it complies with certain requirements.

Table of Contents

Introduction: What is Data Validation?

Data validation is an important part of ensuring the accuracy and validity of data. It can be done by either using Excel’s built-in validation tools, or by implementing custom validation rules in code. or programming. The goal of this article is to teach you how to make Excel validate data, using the built-in validation tools and by implementing custom validation rules in code or programming. By the end of this blog post, you should understand what is meant by data validation, how it can be done using Excel’s built-in tools, and by implementing custom validation rules.

What is the Difference between Conditional Formatting and Data Validation?

Conditional formatting is a way to change the appearance of certain cells based on certain criteria. Data validation, on the other hand, is a way to restrict input into cells.

Conditional formatting is used when you want to change the appearance of a cell or range of cells depending on certain criteria. For example, if you want to highlight values that are greater than 50, you can use conditional formatting so that all values greater than 50 are highlighted with a green fill color. Data validation is used when you want to restrict input into cells or ranges of cells depending on certain criteria. For example, if you want to restrict input into an age field so that only numbers between 0 and 100 are allowed in that field, then data validation would be your best option.

How to Add an Input Message for a User When Entering Data?

In this article, we will go through the steps to add an input message for a user when entering data in Excel.

First, we need to insert a blank column next to the cell that we want to enforce formatting.

Then, select the cell and in the ribbon click on “Format Cells” and then “Number” in the dropdown menu.

Next, set up your formatting options such as decimal places and currency format.

Lastly, click on “OK”.

Tips for Designing Validations Rules

Validations rules are a set of instructions that specify the conditions that must be met in order for a data element to be considered valid. Data elements are checked against these rules when they are entered or updated.

In this article, we will explore some of the best practices for designing Validations rules and how to avoid common mistakes.

1) Avoid using conflicting validation rules:

Rules should not contradict each other, such as requiring an email address for registration and then also requiring an email address to log in.

2) Use Validation Rules to reduce data entry burden: Validations can reduce the amount of time required for data entry by ensuring that users have only one field to enter their information into instead of multiple fields.

3) Use Validation Rules with drop

Also Read: Know about important formulas of excel and their uses