How To Create Dependent Drop Down Lists in Google Sheets

Let me show you how to create a drop down list that changes based upon the value in a previous drop down list or in other words, a dependent drop down list. Such a dependent drop down list can be created in Google Sheets in just 7 simple steps. We’ll start by creating the main category drop down list in the first 3 steps: 1. First, you need to prepare a table with the main categories and sub categories you wish to select from. 2. Then choose the cell where the drop-down list of main categories will show up, click “Insert” and “Dropdown”. 3. Then in the menu on the right, click the Criteria field and select “Dropdown (from range)”, and click the field below that and select the cells that contain your main categories. Finally, click done. Now you need to create this Data Prep column which will display the subcategories based upon what is chosen as the main category. We’ll use the INDEX & MATCH function combination to achieve this in steps 4-6. Also, if you have found this useful so far, please like the video to help others who need this info! 1. Write equals INDEX and select the entire area of subcategories. 2. Add two commas to get which column to select and write equals MATCH and specify the main category drop down menu, we created earlier, as your search value. Then write another comma and select the range of main categories, followed by one more comma and a 0 to ensure that only exact matches count. 3. Now the data prep column displays the sub categories of whatever is selected in the main category drop down menu. Now for the 7th and final step: 1. we can create the secondary dependent drop down menu in the same way as we did the first, but this time, when choosing the cell range that will be displayed by this drop down menu, we choose the cells in the data prep column.