Forum Discussion
Excel searchable combobox
mathetesthe combo box continues to reduce the options as you type in what you are looking for and each item has a specific item number and unit of issue. Each item is in its own cell and the item number and unit of issue are in adjacent cells in the same row. The combo box works like google search so I need the item number to autopopulate in the appropriate cell.
As I said, the new Dynamic Range functions, with a database, can do some pretty amazing things with drop down boxes. Assuming that the list of things which (to stick with your example) "glove" would elicit is somewhat fixed, changing perhaps on a monthly basis, I would think we could create something that would work. Certainly assuming you routinely start with a finite set of "first words"...
Anyway, let's wait for somebody who knows the ins and outs of Combo Boxes.....
- jrod68Jun 09, 2020Copper Contributor
mathetesalso the combo box will find a match no matter where the word is in the description of the item, beginning, middle, or end.
- Riny_van_EekelenJun 09, 2020Platinum Contributor
jrod68 I believe you are in need of a searchable dropdown list. Provided that your Excel version supports the new Dynamic Array functions, you can read about it in the attached link.
https://www.xelplus.com/searchable-drop-down-list/
In your case, you need separate data validation rules for each line item. A slimmed down example is given in the attached workbook.
- jrod68Jun 10, 2020Copper Contributor
Riny_van_Eekelen mathetes Thanks for the assistance. I figured out I didn't need another combo box that was adjacent to the searchable one after all. I used vlookup and linked those cells to cells that the combo box was linked to as well. Now my problem is that I fill in the first combo box with my selection. When I go to try to fill in the next combo box below it the first one pops open and doesn't let me see the next one to select what I want. I've attached the file. In my first version I was trying to use sheet 2 to hide everything but decided to just put it all on the first sheet. I created duplicate lists and formulas so that I could link them individually to each combo box. So ignore sheet 2 and the duplicate lists in the alphabetical columns. The first printable page will be the only one that will be looked at.