Excel Data Validation + Autocomplete

Hi,
I'm new to this forum but have tried to search for a "clean" solution to my problem. I have an excel-based score sheet used for a weekly golf league. I am trying to use data validation to make entering the players for a given week more accurate and efficient. Data validation allows me to check against a list of all active players. This will catch typos and new players not in the "Active" list. Google docs has this great feature built into the data validation function that autocompletes based on the list of data used for validation. This is a GREAT solution as I can start typing a name, then select using mouse scroll + click or keyboard arrows + enter.

Is it really possible that nobody has come up with a clean implementation of this function in Excel? I've found some that use "Autocomplete", but I have to have my data in rows above where the data entry will occur. I really don't want to create, then hide 1250+ rows of data.

Is there a better way other than to convince my golf club members to start using Google Docs?

Thanks for any help!
-chawnskie

Debra Dalgleish shows how you can do it on her website, here:

http://www.contextures.com/xlDataVal10.html

Hope this helps.

Pete

Hi Pete,
Thanks for the link. It works for Autofill, but breaks the validation function. Navigation is also very clunky with the list popping up if any cell with this function is selected. I tried to use the "double-click" version but get a compile error.

Since this is not a native function in excel (is it 2020 yet?), I think any implementation will involve trade-offs from what I desire.

Anyway, this may be an option and I appreciate the quick response.

Cheers,
chawnskie