Selecting Multiple Values from a Dropdown List in Google Spreadsheet

Question

The Google Spreadsheet looks like can only select one value in the dropdown list   Is there any way to select multiple values from a dropdown list in google spreadsheet

User · Answer

I have found a great work-around for this. It really only works practically if you want to be able to select up to 4 or so options from your drop down list but here it is:

For each "item" create as many rows as drop-down items you'd like to be able to select. So if you want to be able to select up to 3 characteristics from a given drop down list for each person on your list, create a total of 3 rows for each person. Then merge A:1-A:3, B:1-B:3, C:1-C:3 etc until you reach the column that you'd like your drop-down list to be. Don't merge those cells, instead place the your Data Validation drop-down in each of those cells.

Hope this is clear!!

User · Answer

If the answers must be constrained to Google Sheets  this answer works but it has limitations and is clumsy enough UX that it may be hard to get others to adopt  In trying to solve this problem I ve found that  for many applications  Airtable solves this by allowing for multi-select columns and the UX is worlds better

User · Answer

To Add to AlexG s answer  a better and enhanced version of multi-select is found in this following link  which I tried and worked as expected    https   gist github com coinsandsteeldev 4c67dfa5411e8add913273fc5a30f5e7  For general guidance on setting up a script in Google Sheets  see this quickstart guide   To use this script    In your Google Sheet  set up data validation for a cell  or cells   using data from a range  In cell validation  do not select  Reject input    Go to Tools   Script editor    In the script editor  go to File   New   Script file Name the file multi-select gs and paste in the contents of multi-select gs  File   Save  In the script editor  go to File   New   Html file Name the file dialog html and paste in the contents of dialog html  File   Save  Back in your spreadsheet  you should now have a new menu called  Scripts   Refresh the page if necessary  Select the cell you want to fill with multiple items from your validation range  Go to Scripts   Multi-select for this cell    and the sidebar should open  showing a checklist of valid items  Tick the items you want and click the  Set  button to fill your cell with those selected items  comma separated    You can leave the script sidebar open  When you select any cell that has validation  click  Refresh validation  in the script sidebar to bring up that cell s checklist      The above mentioned steps are taken from this link

User · Answer

You would use data validation for this  Click in the cell you want to have a multiple drop down   DATA   Validation   Criteria  List from a Range  - here you select form a list of items you want in the drop down  And    you are good  I have included an example to reference

User · Answer

I have found solution at https   www youtube com watch v dm4z9l26O0I  You would need to use Tools   Script Editor  Create  gs and  html files there  See example at http   goo gl LxGXfU  link can be also found under Youtube video   Just copy   Once you have  gs and  html files in place save them and reload your spreadsheet  You will see  Custom menu  as the last item of your top menu  Select cell you would like to manage and click on this menu item   During the first time it will ask you to authorize application - go ahead and do this   Note  1   make sure that your cell has  Data validation  defined before you click on  Custom menu    Note  2   it appeared that solution works with  List from a range  criteria for Data validation  it does not work with  List of items

User · Answer

I see that you ve tagged this question with the google-spreadsheet-api tag   So by  drop-down  do you mean Google App Script s ListBox   If so  you may toggle a user s ability to select multiple items from the ListBox with a simple true false value  Here s an example    var lb   app createListBox true  setId  myId   setName  myLbName        Notice that multiselect is enabled because of the word true

[google-sheets] Selecting Multiple Values from a Dropdown List in Google Spreadsheet

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