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Adding a blank option in a drop down list using Excel allows for the inclusion of a neutral or unspecified choice for data entry. This feature can be useful in situations where the user may not have a specific selection in mind or when leaving a field blank is a valid option. To add a blank option, the user can edit the drop down list source in the data validation settings and add a blank value to the list. This will provide flexibility and accuracy in data input and analysis.
Excel: Add Blank Option in Drop Down List
Often you may want to create a dropdown list in Excel with a blank option that you can select.
The following step-by-step example shows how to do so.
Step 1: Create Data
Suppose we have data in Excel on the number of points scored by a basketball player on a particular team and we would like to assign one of the following ratings to a player:
- No rating (blank)
- Good
- OK
- Bad
For example, we might have the following data:
Step 2: Define Dropdown List Options
Next, type a blank cell along with Good, OK and Bad in the range F1:F4:
These will be used in the next step as the potential options that can be selected in the dropdown list.
Step 3: Create Dropdown List with Blank Option
Next, select cell C2, then click the Data tab along the top ribbon, then click the Data Validation icon within the Data Tools group:
In the new box that appears, select List from the Allow dropdown menu, then select F1:F4 for the Source:
Once you click OK, a dropdown list will automatically be added to cell C2 with a blank, Good, OK and Bad as the potential options:
If you choose the first option from the drop down list, then the value in cell C2 will simply be blank.
Additional Resources
The following tutorials explain how to perform other common operations in Excel: