Microsoft Excel Training

Data validation of dates in Excel



Data validation of dates can help making entry of dates easier by defining the dates values in a certain range like for a financial year. If you are making financial entries for the financial year 2009, you would like to have no date entries less than 1stJanuary 2009 and no data greater than 31st December 2009. Our earlier video explained how to validate data using lists.


How to implement dates validation in Excel:
  • Select a single Excel cell or range of cells
  • Click Data on the menu bar and select validation
  • From the dialog box under settings select 'Allow' Date.
  • Under 'Data' select 'between'
  • Under 'Start Date' define the start date, for example, 1-apr-2008
  • Under 'End Date' define the end date, for example, 31-mar-2008
  • Next click on 'input message', enter a title, for example, 'Date of joining'
  • In the 'input message' area write an appropriate message for the data entry operator or user
  • Finally select 'error message' and input an appropriate 'title' and an 'error message' if the data entry operator doesn't follow the data entry instructions. Now click 'OK' to complete the data validation process
  • Now when you enter data in the Excel spreadsheet you can see the input message that you defined above
  • If you do not follow the data input instructions you get the defined error message
  • The Excel training video shows the data validation of dates.

Want to know more about data validation in Excel?
Description and examples of data validation in Excel
 
Data validation of dates in Excel