Populate drop down list with filtered Excel Table values

This article demonstrates how to populate a drop down list with filtered values from an Excel defined Table.

The animated image below demonstrates how values (First Name) in a drop down list changes based on how the table is filtered (Country).

How to build this

First we need to insert a new worksheet, this new worksheet will contain a formula that extracts filtered values from the Excel defined Table.

The drop-down list contains a named range that will fetch the extracted values from the new worksheet.

Calculation worksheet

1. Press with right mouse button on on any worksheet tab at the very bottom of the Excel screen.
   
2. Press with mouse on "Insert" to open a dialog box.
   
3. Select "Worksheet" icon.
4. Press with left mouse button on OK button.

To rename the worksheet simply press with right mouse button on on the worksheet tab and then press with left mouse button on "Rename".

Type a new worksheet name and press Enter, I named it "Calculations".

Formula

I entered a header name in cell B2.

Formula in cell B3:

1. Double press with left mouse button on cell B3.
2. Paste above array formula, shortcut CTRL + v.
3. Press and hold CTRL and SHIFT keys simultaneously
4. Press Enter once

The formula in the formula bar now looks like this: {=formula}
Don't enter these curly parentheses yourself, they appear automatically if you did the above steps correctly.

Explaining formula in cell B3

Step 1 - Create an array

The OFFSET function allows you to identify filtered values if you combine it with the SUBTOTAL function.

OFFSET(Table2[First Name], MATCH(ROW(Table2[First Name]), ROW(Table2[First Name]))-1, 0, 1)

returns {"Kaya"; "Fraser"; ... ; "Kaya"}.

This step may seem weird when you can just use a cell reference to the values, however, that won't work. This step is necessary in order to force the SUBTOTAL function to evaluate each value in the array.

Step 2 - Identify filtered values

The SUBTOTAL function returns 0 (zero) if value is not visible and 1 if the value is visible.

SUBTOTAL(3, OFFSET(Table2[First Name], MATCH(ROW(Table2[First Name]), ROW(Table2[First Name]))-1, 0, 1))

returns {0; 0; 0; 0; 0; 0; 0; 0; 0; 1; 0; 0; 0; 0; 1; 0; 0; 0; 0; 1}

Step 3 - Return row numbers of filtered values

The IF function returns the corresponding row number of each filtered (visible) value and a blank for not visible values.

IF(SUBTOTAL(3, OFFSET(Table2[First Name], MATCH(ROW(Table2[First Name]), ROW(Table2[First Name]))-1, 0, 1)), MATCH(ROW(Table2[First Name]), ROW(Table2[First Name])), "")

returns {""; ""; ""; ""; ""; ""; ""; ""; ""; 10; ""; ""; ""; ""; 15; ""; ""; ""; ""; 20}

Step 4 - Extract the k-th smallest row number

The SMALL function extracts the k-th smallest number in a cell range or array.

SMALL(array, k)

SMALL(IF(SUBTOTAL(3, OFFSET(Table2[First Name], MATCH(ROW(Table2[First Name]), ROW(Table2[First Name]))-1, 0, 1)), MATCH(ROW(Table2[First Name]), ROW(Table2[First Name])), ""), ROWS($A$1:A1))

returns 10.

Step 5 - Return value based on row number

The INDEX function returns a value based on a row number (and column number if needed).

INDEX(Table2[First Name], SMALL(IF(SUBTOTAL(3, OFFSET(Table2[First Name], MATCH(ROW(Table2[First Name]), ROW(Table2[First Name]))-1, 0, 1)), MATCH(ROW(Table2[First Name]), ROW(Table2[First Name])), ""), ROWS($A$1:A1)))

returns "Fraser" in cell B4 which is the 10th value in the array.

The IFERROR function removes errors that will show when there are no more values to show.

Create named range

1. Go to tab "Formulas" on the ribbon.
2. Press with left mouse button on "Name Manager" button.
3. Press with left mouse button on "New.." button to open the Name Manager dialog box.
4. Name: Drop_down_list
5. Refers to: =INDIRECT("Calculations!$B$3:$B$"&SUMPRODUCT((Calculations!$B:$B<>"")*1)+1)
6. Press with left mouse button on OK!
   
7. Press with left mouse button on Close!

Explaining named range formula

The formula used in name range Drop_down_list is dynamic and changes based on the number of values in column B in worksheet "Calculations.

Step 1 - Identify non empty cells in column B

The less and greater than signs combined checks if cells are empty or not.

Calculations!$B:$B<>""

becomes

{""; "Filtered Table values"; "Fraser"; "Jui"; "Kaya"; "" ... ""}<>""

and returns

{"FALSE";"TRUE";... ; "FALSE"}

It is not neccessary to check every cell in column B, if this calculation is  slow for you then use a smaller cell reference, for example: Calculations!$B$1:$B$1000<>""

Step 2 - Count non empty cells in column B

The SUMPRODUCT function returns a number representing the total number of non empty cells.

SUMPRODUCT((Calculations!$B:$B<>"")*1)

becomes

SUMPRODUCT({"FALSE";... ; "FALSE"}*1)

The SUMPRODUCT function can't sum boolean values (TRUE or FALSE) so we need to convert them to their numerical equivalents, this is done by multiplying with 1.

SUMPRODUCT({0; 1; 1; 1; 1; 0... ; 0})

and returns 4.

Step 3 - Create cell reference

The ampersand allows you to combine text with a calculation.

"Calculations!$B$3:$B$"&SUMPRODUCT((Calculations!$B:$B<>"")*1)+1

returns

"Calculations!$B$3:$B$5"

Step 4 - Convert text to cell reference

The INDIRECT function lets you use the text as a cell reference.

INDIRECT("Calculations!$B$3:$B$"&SUMPRODUCT((Calculations!$B:$B<>"")*1)+1)

becomes

INDIRECT("Calculations!$B$3:$B$5")

and returns the values in cell range Calculations!$B$3:$B$5.

Create drop down list

1. Select cell D26
2. Go to tab "Data" on the riboon.
3. Press with left mouse button on "Data Validation" button.
4. Allow: List
   
5. Source: =Drop_down_list
6. Press with left mouse button on Ok

Get the Excel file

Add-filtered-table-values-to-drop-down-list2.xlsx

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7 Responses to “Populate drop down list with filtered Excel Table values”

1. Fowmy says:

   August 28, 2012 at 10:05 am

   It's a nice concept but, when you select Germany in you example, it fails. I think if filtered rows are in consecutive order, it works.

   Reply
   • Oscar says:

     August 29, 2012 at 9:19 am

     Fowmy,

     You are right! It fails, my fault. It looks like it can´t be done without using a helper column. I don´t like "helper" columns. Data Validation lists can´t handle non contiguous ranges.

     I even tried creating a named range (and udf) returning a text string using a comma as a delimiter, but that failed too.

     I am not sure what to do with this post.

     Here is an example file with a "helper" column:
     Add-filtered-table-values-to-drop-down-list2.xlsm

     The helper column is in sheet2.

2. David Hager says:

   September 1, 2012 at 11:48 pm

   I believe that you can get your idea to work if you create a custom function that returns a delimited string from the filtered cell values. Just be sure to credit me :)

   Reply
   • Oscar says:

     September 3, 2012 at 9:06 am

     David Hager,

     I can´t get it to work unless I use a named range. It seems the "drop down list" only accepts a cell range, a named range or a text string.

     I used this function:

     Function VisibleValues(Rng As Range) As String
     Dim Cell As Range
     Dim Result As String
     For Each Cell In Rng
         If Cell.EntireRow.Hidden = False Then
             Result = Result & Cell.Value & ", "
         End If
     Next
     
     VisibleValues = Left(Result, Len(Result) - 2)
     
     End Function
     

     I can only get the custom function to work if I use it in a named range. But then the comma (text delimiter) won´t work. The drop down list shows all values in the same row.

     

     What am I missing?

     All credit goes to you :-)

3. jack B. says:

   September 28, 2016 at 9:28 pm

   Id like to make one that is the opposite of what your posted,

   ie. the the column gets filtered based on the value you select from a drop down, the drop down is populated with all the unique values of whats present in your table's column

   Reply
4. Rüdiger says:

   June 5, 2019 at 2:24 pm

   Function VisibleValues(Rng As Range) As String

   Dim Cell As Range
   Dim Result As String
   For Each Cell In Rng
   If Cell.EntireRow.Hidden = False Then
   Result = Result & Cell.Value & Application.International(xlListSeparator)
   End If
   Next

   VisibleValues = Left(Result, Len(Result) - 2)

   End Function

   Reply
   • Oscar says:

     June 18, 2019 at 4:11 pm

     Rüdiger,

     Thank you for your contribution.

     I had to remove only 1 character to make it work for my example:

     Function VisibleValues(Rng As Range) As String
     
     Dim Cell As Range
     Dim Result As String
     For Each Cell In Rng
     If Cell.EntireRow.Hidden = False Then
     Result = Result & Cell.Value & Application.International(xlListSeparator)
     End If
     Next Cell
     
     VisibleValues = Left(Result, Len(Result) - 1)
     
     End Function
     

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