Dependent Drop Down Lists

**Leiser** · 07-18-2012, 07:54 PM

I am having an issue creating dependent drop down lists. I have created a quote template (on tab 1) and would like to use drop down lists to fill in the customer information. On the second tab, I have four columns (company, contact, address, city/state/zip). I have defined the name for each column. The rows below are populated with end user information.
On the quote tab, I created a drop down list (cell D4) for "company" (using data validation). That works fine. When I try to create the next dependent drop down list, no data transfers over. In cell D5, with data validation, I chose list and typed =indirect(d4). I do get a drop down arrow for this but no information comes up.
I have also tried VLOOKUP but, as before, no data transfers over. The drop down arrown is blank. I am not sure what I am doing wrong. If anyone has suggestions, I would be greatly appreciative.
Leiser

**JBeaucaire** · 07-18-2012, 08:10 PM

dependent drop down lists rely on you having created all the various possible names ranges. Your question implies you really only want to "lookup matching data" based on a selection made from a single drop down. You'll have to show us your data and drop downs for us to really see what you're trying to do. Be sure to mockup a manual "results" if possible so we can see the goal.

**Leiser** · 07-19-2012, 01:54 PM

I have attached a demo file of what I am trying to do. The first tab is the actual quote and the second tab contains the information that I want to pull from. Idealy, I would like to have the first drop down in the D4 cell on tab one and the corresponding information (contact, address, etc) in a pull down or autofilled below that. Let me know if this attachment helps.

**JBeaucaire** · 07-19-2012, 02:19 PM

You don't have any drop downs anywhere. Put a Data Validation List = CompanyName onto cell D4.
Then formulas do the rest of the work. In D5:

=IF($D$4="", "", INDEX(ContactName, MATCH($D$4, CompanyName, 0)))

Just copy that down and change the ContactName to CityStateZip or whatever is needed in each cell.

**Leiser** · 07-23-2012, 02:57 PM

JBeaucaire
Thank you so much for your help. That totally did the trick. I will have to do a little more research on formulas before I try this again.
Thanks,
Leiser

**Cutter** · 07-23-2012, 03:50 PM

Hello Leiser, and welcome to the forum.

Based on your last post it seems that you are satisfied with the solution(s) you've received but you haven't marked your thread as SOLVED. I'll do that for you now but please keep in mind for your future threads that Rule #9 requires you to do that yourself. If your problem has not been solved you can use Thread Tools (located above your first post) and choose "Mark this thread as unsolved".
Thanks.