Recently I posted about how you could construct dynamic (cascading) dropdowns that could easily handle multiple levels, like this:
…and we saw that users could subsequently change upstream dropdowns in a way that would make downstream choices invalid, like this:
In my previous post I used some VBA to clear out any ‘downstream’ choices if anything ‘upstream’ changed:
Updated for 2024:
Please see my latest article on Dependent Drop-downs using XLOOKUP to implement a simpler and scalable technique. It works great when you have two or multiple levels and can be expanded to an entire table column or sheet column.
A much simpler alternative
My sample file drew on Roger Govier’s excellent approach on the Contextures website, which used two dynamic named ranges to feed the data validation lists, one called MainList and one called SubList. Roberto commented that you could achieve pretty much the same thing with no VBA and with just one validation formula. His approach is pure genius!
Here’s a sample file that utilizes Roberto’s approach:
Click here to download the file
This approach uses a validation formula with a couple of relative references in it. Relative references look for cells that are some predetermined distance left/right and up/down from the active cell. Here’s his formula, which was entered into the Name Manager while cell B8 was selected:
=IF(ISBLANK(Sheet1!C8),IF(DataEntry[#Headers] Sheet1!B:B = DataEntry[[#Headers],[Main Category]],OFFSET(ValidationLists[[#All],[Main Categories]],1,,COUNTA(ValidationLists[Main Categories])),OFFSET(ValidationLists,0,MATCH(Sheet1!A8, ValidationLists[#Headers],0)-1,COUNTA(OFFSET(ValidationLists,,MATCH(Sheet1!A8, ValidationLists[#Headers],0)-1,,1)),1)))
This formulas assumes:
- You use Excel Tables for both the Validation List and the data entry area, and so uses the associated Structured References that Table functionality allows.
- Your validation table is called ValidationLists
- Your data entry table where the dropdowns are is called table is called DataEntry.
- The column containing your initial dropdowns is called ‘Main Category’
- The validation list in your validation table that contains your initial categories is called ‘Main Categories’
You will have to amend this formula accordingly if your tables or initial columns have different names.
The relative reference in this formula checks both the cell to the immediate left AND the cell to the immediate right of your current selection. Entering relative references into the Name Manager can be tricky…you first need to select the cell where the formula was originally created – in this case B8 – before you fire up the Name Manager dialog box. (Note that it doesn’t actually matter whether your own file has anything in C8 or not, or whether in fact your dropdowns are somewhere else entirely…rather it’s just that the above formula happens to refer to A8 and C8, and because we want our formula to always reference the cell on the immediate left and immediate right, then we’ve got to select the cell B8 which is in the middle.
Excel Tables – known as ListObjects to VBA developers – were introduced in Excel 2007, and are a very powerful and simple way to store things like lists, chart data, and PivotTable data…especially if you might need to add more data to your spreadsheet at a later date, and want to avoid having to repoint all your formulas to include the additional data. If you’re not familiar with Excel Tables – or you don’t know what that Table1[#Headers] guff above means – then I strongly suggest you check out Chandoo’s Introduction to Structural References or give GOOGLE a spin.
How does this awesome beast work?
Let’s step through it, bit by bit. Note that I’ve put some extra spaces in after each opening formula bracket, purely so this formula will wrap nicely on your monitor. Excel just ignores these extra spaces, so don’t bother taking them out.
=IF(ISBLANK(Sheet1!C8),IF(DataEntry[#Headers] Sheet1!B:B = DataEntry[[#Headers],[Main Category]],OFFSET(ValidationLists[[#All],[Main Categories]],1,,COUNTA(ValidationLists[Main Categories])),OFFSET(ValidationLists,0,MATCH(Sheet1!A8, ValidationLists[#Headers],0)-1,COUNTA(OFFSET(ValidationLists,,MATCH(Sheet1!A8, ValidationLists[#Headers],0)-1,,1)),1)))
That first bit in bold above checks the cell on the immediate right. If that cell on the right is not blank, then that means that the user has already made ‘downstream’ selections. We don’t want the user to change this ‘upstream’ dropdown without clearing those out. Thanks to the IF statement, if that’s the case then none of the rest of the formula gets executed, and the formula just returns FALSE. Data validation can’t handle this FALSE, so users can click on the dropdown button all they like, but nothing will come up. Consequently, the user simply can’t change this ‘upstream’ selection until they’ve first cleared out any selections they previously made in the cells to the right. Pure genius.
Here’s what that looks like:
Sweet! Okay, let’s take a look at the rest of the formula:
=IF(ISBLANK(Sheet1!C8),IF(DataEntry[#Headers] Sheet1!B:B = DataEntry[[#Headers],[Main Category]],OFFSET(ValidationLists[[#All],[Main Categories]],1,,COUNTA(ValidationLists[Main Categories])),OFFSET(ValidationLists,0,MATCH(Sheet1!A8, ValidationLists[#Headers],0)-1,COUNTA(OFFSET(ValidationLists,,MATCH(Sheet1!A8, ValidationLists[#Headers],0)-1,,1)),1)))
That bit in bold above checks whether the dropdown is the Main Category column. It does this using the INTERSECT operator, which is a space between two references (in this case of DataEntry[#Headers] B:B the INTERSECT operator is the space between DataEntry[#Headers] and the column reference B:B. Such a space tells Excel to go to the overlap or intersection of those two references, which in this case is the junction between the header row and the column that our dropdown is in.
- If the current dropdown is in the Main Category column, then this bold bit:
=IF(ISBLANK(Sheet1!C8),IF(DataEntry[#Headers] Sheet1!B:B = DataEntry[[#Headers],[Main Category]],OFFSET(ValidationLists[[#All],[Main Categories]],1,,COUNTA(ValidationLists[Main Categories])),OFFSET(ValidationLists,0,MATCH(Sheet1!A8, ValidationLists[#Headers],0)-1,COUNTA(OFFSET(ValidationLists,,MATCH(Sheet1!A8, ValidationLists[#Headers],0)-1,,1)),1)))
…serves up just the list containing our initial categories (i.e. ‘Fruit’, ‘Vegetables’, or ‘Other Stuff’ in this example). - If the current dropdown is not in the Main Category column, then this bold bit:
=IF(ISBLANK(Sheet1!C8),IF(DataEntry[#Headers] Sheet1!B:B = DataEntry[[#Headers],[Main Category]],OFFSET(ValidationLists[[#All],[Main Categories]],1,,COUNTA(ValidationLists[Main Categories])),OFFSET(ValidationLists,0,MATCH(Sheet1!A8, ValidationLists[#Headers],0)-1,COUNTA(OFFSET(ValidationLists,,MATCH(Sheet1!A8, ValidationLists[#Headers],0)-1,,1)),1)))
…serves up the particular list relevant given the previous choice made in the dropdown to the left.
Wicked, eh!
Normally I don’t advocate the use of volatile functions such as OFFSET if there is a non-volatile alternate (and you’ll hear more about volatility from me in a forthcoming post). But as Roberto points out in his original comment, in this case it doesn’t matter…choices made via dropdowns are not considered volatile by Excel, even if the formulas used to populate that dropdown are volatile.
Like Roger’s approach, Roberto’s approach can handle any number of cascading levels, provided all the category names are unique. All you need to do is simply add the new subcategories to the right hand side of the validations table.
Thanks Roberto…I learned a lot from those comments. Readers, be sure to visit the Frankens Team and check out the crazy things Roberto, Kris & Gábor get up to with Excel.
Download the sample file
Here’s a sample file that utilizes Roberto’s approach:
Click here to download the file
Updates
Check out the updated 2024 version of this technique with XLOOKUP. The formulas are much simpler and it works with any level of validations.
You may also want to check out my good pal Doug Glancy’s approach to this. His version of dependent dropdowns uses Conditional Formatting to alert the user, and ultimately, the analyst, that something is amiss. Be sure to say hi to him in the comments while you’re there, and to subscribe to his blog. Anyone who makes up sample files about fictional International Pie Lovers Associations deserves our eyeballs!
About the Author.
Jeff Weir – a local of Galactic North up there in Windy Wellington, New Zealand – is more volatile than INDIRECT and more random than RAND. In fact, his state of mind can be pretty much summed up by this:
=NOT(EVEN(PROPER(OR(RIGHT(TODAY())))))
That’s right, pure #VALUE!
28 Responses to “Team To Do Lists – Project Tracking Tools using Excel [Part 2 of 6]”
[...] & tracking a project plan using Gantt Charts Team To Do Lists - Project Tracking Tools Part 3: Preparing a project time line [upcoming] Part 4: Time sheets and Resource management [...]
the templates are great (I bought the combo).
What I'm missing is a way to have the project gantt chart and reporting with the data per resource, in such a way that I can also show the occupation per resource on an extended gantt chart.
So with hours entered per person per project or sub-activity, to show a gantt chart of how many hours/days a person spent on which project (or plans to spend).
[...] from: Team To Do Lists - Project Tracking Tools using Excel [Part 2 of 6] 25 Jun 09 | [...]
Hi Chandoo,
Funny I have a post on the value of MS project lined up which I will post when the current monster project I'm working on finishes and I get some free time!
I'm not sure this would help with any of the projects I've worked on, closing down a to do list seems like more effort than it's worth, but it might be useful for some things. I guessing it doesn't, but does the time stamp not update when you recalculate the work book?
keep up the good work!
Ross
@Ross.. Thanks for sharing your ideas... I think to do lists are a great way to keep up with project activities and ensure accountability from individual team members, when they are implemented right.
"I guessing it doesn’t, but does the time stamp not update when you recalculate the work book?"
Your guess is right. When you change the calculation mode to "iterative", excel takes care of the nittygritties and retains older values in circular references in formulas.
[...] Project Management in Excel [New Series] - Gantt Charts | To Do Lists [...]
[...] & tracking a project plan using Gantt Charts Team To Do Lists - Project Tracking Tools Project Status Reporting - Create a Timeline to display milestones Part 4: Time sheets and Resource [...]
Hi Chandoo,
The template give me lot of convenience to monitor the thing to do. It simple. Thank You
[...] & tracking a project plan using Gantt Charts Team To Do Lists - Project Tracking Tools Project Status Reporting - Create a Timeline to display milestones Part 4: Time sheets and Resource [...]
[...] make sure you have read the first 4 parts of the series - Making gantt charts [project planning], team todo lists [project tracking], project time lines chart [reporting] and Timesheets and Resource Management using Excel. Also [...]
Chandoo,
I really do not see any befit to this function in Excel unless it was somehow tied into some other chart. That is say a scheduled activities % complete is based on the to-do list.
The only way this chart would be useful is if no one was assigned none dependent task that could be done by anyone. The cases were both of these conditions are true are so few and far between it really makes this chart worthless.
@Brian... Once you have a todo list up and running, it is easy to get metrics out of it. I didnt propose it as it might look a bit too micro-management-ish.
I am able to understand what you meant by "The only way this chart would be useful is if no one was assigned none dependent task that could be done by anyone. The cases were both of these conditions are true are so few and far between it really makes this chart worthless."
Can you explain?
"Chandoo"
What I mean is this. Lets say you have 10 task which are part of one activity/WBS that is in your schedule. One there are very few cases were many people would be assigned to complete this one scheduled activity with no direction being given who should what of the 10 task. It is poor management, and the task 90% of the time would not get done in a timely manner if say 4 people were responsible. Secondly, you are assuming all 10 task are independent of each other. You might need to do task 1 thru 3 before you can do task 4, and to do task 7 you might need to do 4 and 6. Thirdly, the time it would take to compile and then fill out the to-do-list even in limited applications is really not worth it.
I just see almost no applications why a team would need to inform others separate from the schedule that they have completed a task on a to-do list unless anyone of the 4 people could of completed that task.
My point is, there might be a few very limited applications for this type of list but this list would be worthless as a Project Management tool in every other case.
However, change this from a to-do-list to a document change log and it is perfect. Instead of to-do it is the documents name or summary of what changed in the document. The person is who edited the document, and the time stamp is when they checked it in. But I do not know why you would use excel when there is free software you can use commercially that is 10 times better that does document management.
I think using excel to do Project Management over a real Project Management application is a bad idea. Unless you are running a very small, simple project, the time and effort is a lot more to use excel compared to the cost of the Project Management software.
This comes back to my point, I love your site, however, just because you can do something in excel does not mean you should do it. To often the time it takes to use excel is wasted 10 times over from the cost of doing it in an application designed to for the specific application.
@Brian: The todo list mentioned here is meant to keep track of all the tasks for which detailed planning is not necessary but some sort of tracking is needed. These are not be confused with project activities (a la gantt chart).
I like your suggestion about using this as a document tracker. Pretty cool use.
Coming to your point about excel as a real project management tool, well, I have my views, but in a serious project environment, it would surely payoff to have a dedicated project management application.
[...] & tracking a project plan using Gantt Charts Team To Do Lists – Project Tracking Tools Project Status Reporting – Create a Timeline to display milestones Time sheets and Resource [...]
Chandoo,
Wonder how the timestamp column will maintain its previous data. Both Today() and Now() functions will update as and when the next timestamp happens.
[...] Preparing & tracking a project plan using Gantt Charts Part2: Team To Do Lists – Project Tracking Tools Part3: Project Status Reporting – Create a Timeline to display milestones Part4: Time sheets and [...]
I've combined this with the issue tracker since I like the automatic date stamp, but one thing I'm noticing is that I can't replicate the chart that goes along with the issue tracker because the cells that are referenced have the formula that inserts the time stamp instead of a the actual date value. All the dates of the last 30 days display 0 when they should have a value.
Is there a way around this?
I have edited the chart so that my team members can update the percentage completion of the assigned tasks. When the cell is updated, i would like the time stamp to update. How would I manipulate the formula to update whenever the drop-down list is changed?
[...] … ??? To Do List [...]
Excel is great however sometimes you need to get a better idea of what tasks each person on your team is working on at any given time. We've developed a web app that can do just that! Each person has a list of tasks, listed in the order they have to complete them.
HII,
I want to expand the database through excel where i am working on 11 cities as of now and i want to expand it upto 50 cities and hence forth the data related to it will also expand so i want to make it precise where i can get updates also that this work is required to be done at that particular day or date
Thanks for making all of this information available for free. I am currently using excel to track everything for the first time. I later plan to output our information here with a more visual presentation. Wish me luck!
Can some one point me out to some additional direction on the "Who Finished it?" column? Something more 'basic' for a newbie excel guy? lol I got everything else working on this tutorial but that column. I can't seem to recreate it and I know a lot of it is due to lack of knowledge with VB code. I'd like to recreate this column very much 🙁
Dear Chandoo,
Thanks for the team to do list, kindly let me know how to set the column who " finished it " from another work sheet
Hi Chandoo,
Unable to download it - can you please check the link and confirm.
Great inhisgt! That's the answer we've been looking for.
Hi Team,
I know u all are the best programmers in the world!!! that's I am here to rectify my issues. here is my question please ans me as soon as possible before 8-3-2017 its really urgent.
I have a project named the production tracker.
1) I require the user form which shows the names of the Associates which are linked to the different tracks. when the user is selected the particular track related details and dropdowns should appear.
2) I need to track the associate needs how much of the time to complete the particular task. with start stop and pause and resume timer.
3) It should display the daily count of the production and save the data to the another Excel file.
this production tracker should save all the data no matter how many people logs in into it.
Please help me for this it will be very appreciated.
you can directly email me on my mail ID: tusharkch694@gmail.com