Validating Data

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated July 30, 2021)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

Ed asked if there was a way, using Word tables, to validate data that is added to cells. For instance, to limit the minimum and maximum characteristics of the data that could be entered in a cell.

The bad news, Ed, is that there is no easy way to accomplish such a feat solely using Word. Granted, a set of macros could be devised that would do some sort of validation, but they would not be easy, by any stretch of the imagination. Alternatively, you could set up a user form with input fields for each table cell. Then, you could apply validation code to what the user enters or selects in each input field. Even this approach, however, would be difficult to implement for all but the simplest tables.

Perhaps the easiest method of accomplishing data validation, however, is to simply use Excel. It has data validation routines quickly available to a user on a cell-by-cell basis. Then, the table data created in Excel can be pasted into (and linked to) a Word document.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1495) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

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What is 2 + 2?

2017-02-21 16:09:35

Kristine

Is there a way to show a field in Word 2010 that allows values 0-999 up to 2 decimals. A drop down is too huge so I need an acceptable range. It has to be able to have a validation message if the number is outside the allowable range and decimals. I use data validation in excel, do not see in Word 2010. Once the data is entered, it does not get used anywhere only needs to be entered correctly by range and decimal.
Thanks.

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