Top Row should have different text formatting than the columns

I want to have different formatting for different columns so that one column
is Number, another Currency, another Date, etc. But I want the first row to
be a heading.

Of course I can type the headings in each column across the top row and then
go back and highlight each column and pick a format style like Currency,
Date, etc for each column. And then highlight the first row and set a text
style that overrides the columns' styles. I assume that is the way to have
the top row have a text heading for columns that are formatted for things
below the first row other than text.

But what happens when you want a column to have a drop down choice? I use
Data>Validation>List for that. But if I assign a column to be that, I can't
edit the top cell of the column to be a header because it wants to be a drop
down.

To work around this I have to not select the whole column for the drop down
formating. I have to reserve row one of the column for the heading and then
start the Validation List area at row 2 and go down some amount, which means
the column formating ends where I stop the selection and it is not
indefinite like it would be if I highlighted the whole column.. ---
Sorry for being wordy here. I hope someone can follow this.

Is there a better way to set up the first row for headings? (not to be
confused with page Headers).

Steve K

I believe you can do what you wish by first formatting the columns,
then the header row, then entering your headers and only then adding
the Data Validation, since DV doesn't tell you anything about erroneous
values entered before you turned it on, unless you ask it later to
highlight invalid values. At least, that's how I've always done it ...

HTH

Declan O'R

Pretty simple. Thanks.

"DOR" <declanor1@cox.net> wrote in message
news:1131685407.987084.115110@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>I believe you can do what you wish by first formatting the columns,
> then the header row, then entering your headers and only then adding
> the Data Validation, since DV doesn't tell you anything about erroneous
> values entered before you turned it on, unless you ask it later to
> highlight invalid values. At least, that's how I've always done it ...
>
> HTH
>
> Declan O'R
>

"DOR" <declanor1@cox.net> wrote in message
news:1131685407.987084.115110@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>I believe you can do what you wish by first formatting the columns,
> then the header row, then entering your headers and only then adding
> the Data Validation, since DV doesn't tell you anything about erroneous
> values entered before you turned it on, unless you ask it later to
> highlight invalid values. At least, that's how I've always done it ...
>
> HTH
>
> Declan O'R

Actually having played around with your solution I am having problems.

After you've added the Data Validation, (yes it does ignore the erroneous
values of the heading row) you can't go back and text edit the header in any
way because it then wants to do the validation check. That means you have
to set it up again.

Is there a way to have excel understand that the first row is not part of
the formating so that all functions that you set up start at the second row
and go down as far as necessary?

Steve