Importing Custom Lists

Custom lists are a rather esoteric Excel feature that allows you to specify ordered lists of information for virtually any purpose. For instance, a list might include a series of classes or workshops, or it might include a series of employee names. Custom lists can be used when sorting data tables, and they can be used by the AutoFill feature.

How you create a custom list from scratch has been covered in other issues of ExcelTips. Rather than creating a list from scratch, however, you might find it easier to import a list from a series of cells already in your worksheet. Follow these steps if you are using a version of Excel prior to Excel 2007:

1. Select Options from the Tools menu. Excel displays the Options dialog box.
2. Make sure the Custom Lists tab is selected. (Click here to see a related figure.)
3. Click once in the Import List from Cells box.
4. Either enter the address range that contains the list you want imported, or use the mouse to select the range on the worksheet.
5. Click Import. The values from the selected cells are listed in the List Entries box.
6. Click OK to close the dialog box.

If you are using Excel 2007 then you should follow these steps, instead:

1. Click the Office button and then click Excel Options. Excel displays the Excel Options dialog box.
2. Make sure Popular is selected at the left of the dialog box.
3. Click Edit Custom Lists. Excel displays the Custom Lists dialog box and hides the Excel Options dialog box.
4. Click once in the Import List from Cells box.
5. Either enter the address range that contains the list you want imported, or use the mouse to select the range on the worksheet.
6. Click Import. The values from the selected cells are listed in the List Entries box.
7. Click OK to close the Custom Lists dialog box. The Excel Options dialog box reappears.
8. Click OK to close the Excel Options dialog box.

You can now use the custom list as you would any other custom list in Excel.