Overview

Microsoft Word Drop Down List Conditional Formatting
Microsoft Word Drop Down List Box
Microsoft Word Drop Down List Editing
Microsoft Word Drop Down List Content Control

Conditional Formatting for a Drop Down List in Word I want to create a RAG status drop-down list in Word; when the User selects Red, I want the text &/or the box to turn red, Amber it should turn amber & Green should turn green. You can follow the below steps in order to insert a drop-down menu list in a Word document: Step 1: Open Microsoft Word and go to the File menu and click on Options. Step 2: Click on the Customize.

Click the 'Developer' tab and make sure your cursor is on the page where you want the drop-down box. You can hover your cursor over any button until you see its pop-up tool tip name. Click the 'Drop-Down List Content Control' button in the Controls section of the ribbon. The drop-down is added to the Word page.
How to Create a Dropdown list in Microsoft Word in Bangla In this Video Tutorial, I will discuss, How to Make a Drop Down Menu In MS Word in Bangla Microso.

When creating templates and other documents to be filled in, it is often useful to include drop-down lists for questions that naturally have a limited answer set or in cases where you would like to restrict the possible answers to ensure consistency in responses. Restricting responses is particularly useful when collating questionnaires and using the data for analysis and visualization (Charts).

The Advantages of creating a drop down list in Microsoft Word:

Saves space on the template, document or form
Provides an indication/(examples) of what the expected answers should be
Ensures consistency in answers used across documents
Eliminates spelling errors and typos
Makes forms easier and quicker to complete for the end user

When to use a drop down list:

When consistency of information is required. For example in the case of a questionnaire; for the question: “What is you favorite animal?” one respondent may want to indicate that a German Shepard is his/her favorite and animal, another respondent may want to indicate that a Poodle is his/her favorite. However for the purposes of your analysis, “dog” might be sufficient. Then by using a drop down list and including only dog, cat, fish, reptile etc, as possible answers, an in in depth data cleaning exercise can be avoided prior to the analysis of responses.
When other Microsoft office content controls are not appropriate. Microsoft includes additional content controls including legacy and ActiveX controls that allow for the inclusion of variety of other controls. Radio Buttons and check boxes are examples of some of the controls that can be used in use-cases similar to that of the drop-down list. Often these will be more appropriate for binary responses (e.g. Yes/No), selection of multiple items from a single list, and smaller list (Less than 5 items). As a rule of thumb, always try to make data-entry as easy as possible for the personal filling out the document: selecting an item instead of typing a response, a one click option selection instead of two – e.g. a radio button response requires only one click for a Yes/No question, were-as a drop-down with Yes/No options will require the user to click twice.

Creating a drop-down list

Step 1.

In order to make us of the drop-down list feature in Microsoft word the Developer tab needs to be enabled on the ribbon. This can be done by selecting the file menu on the Ribbon, (a) navigating to Options, (b) selecting Customize Ribbon on the left hand side of the new window that opens up, (c) and selecting the Developer checkbox that appears in the right hand table titled Customize the Ribbon

(a)

(b)

(c)

Step 2.

Next, a drop-down list control box can be added to the document. This is done by (a) selecting the Developer tab in the Ribbon, navigating to the controls section and selecting (b) the Drop-Down list Content Contol button.

(a)

(b)

Step 3.

Once the Drop-Down List Content Control has been added to your document, you will need to add list items to the Drop-Down List. While the Drop-Down list is selected in the document, (a) click on the Properties option in the Ribbon, (b) complete the Title and Tag fields in the new window that opens and then select the add button. (c) Type in the name of the first item of the list in the Display Name Field and click the OK button. Press Add again to add additional items to the list. Once the list items have been added, (d) press the OK button

(a)

Microsoft Word Drop Down List Conditional Formatting

(b)

(c)

(d)

Step 4.

The final step in the process is to test that the Drop-Down List works. Note that when the Drop-Down List Control is not selected, the control is “invisible” and only displays the selected option as text (usually the first item on the list if not yet used). When hovering over the Drop-Down List Control, the text is shaded in grey, and when the Drop-Down List Control is selected, the title box is displayed with drop down arrow. When clicking on the arrow, all the list items created in step 3 will be displayed and available for selection.

Enjoy including Drop-Down lists in your future Microsoft Word Projects!

Additional Resources

The following YouTube Video briefly walks through the steps required to include a drop-down list in an MS Word document https://youtu.be/ysuf9XUvbrE

Microsoft Word Drop Down List Box

Drop-Down Fields

A drop-down form field provides a way to provide a user with a list of items from which the user can select only one.

You can only select one option from the list.

Inserting a Drop-Down Form Field

This allows the user to select from a list of possible choices.
The user can only choose one of the alternatives

Microsoft Word Drop Down List Editing

Drop-Down Form Field - Inserts a drop-down field allowing users to make a selection from a list of alternatives.

{ FORMDROPDOWN }

The first item in the list is treated as the default.
You can add entries to the list by typing in the Drop-Down item box and pressing Add.
You can change the order using the Move buttons.

Drop-down item - Allows you to enter an item and use the Add button to add it to the list.
Add -
Remove -
Move - Allows you to change the order in which the items appear in the list.
Run Macro on Entry - Runs a macro when the form field is selected either from using the tab key or when the form field is selected with the mouse.
Run Macro on Exit - Runs a macro when the form field is exited either from using the tab key or when another form field is selected.
Bookmark - This is the name of the field. This name also provides you with a way to reference the contents of the field for use in a macro or calculation.
Drop-Down enabled - Allows the user to select a value from the drop-down list.
Calculate on Exit - Allows you to automatically update any references to that particular bookmark when you leave the form field.
Add Help Text -

© 2021 Better Solutions Limited. All Rights Reserved. © 2021 Better Solutions Limited

Microsoft Word Drop Down List Content Control

Top