Are you tired of manually entering dates in your Google Sheets? The dropdown calendar, also known as a date selector, is one of the most popular features in Google Sheets that can save you time and effort. In this article, we will guide you through the process of inserting a dropdown calendar in your Google Sheets, ensuring you don’t miss any important steps.
What Does the Dropdown Calendar Look Like in Google Sheets?
The dropdown calendar in Google Sheets appears as a convenient monthly calendar from which you can select a date. It allows you to navigate between months using the arrow buttons located at the top right of the calendar. It’s important to note that the first day of the week is Sunday. This user-friendly feature makes it easier to select dates accurately and avoid errors in data analysis and organization.
How to Add a Dropdown Calendar in Google Sheets
There are two simple methods to add a dropdown calendar to a cell in Google Sheets. The key is to format the cell as a “Date” type, as the dropdown calendar won’t function without the correct cell formatting. Let’s explore both methods:
Method #1 – Using Data Validation in Google Sheets
This method is useful when you want to display the dropdown calendar for multiple cells simultaneously. Follow these steps to insert the dropdown calendar for multiple cells:
- Open a new Google Spreadsheet by clicking here Crawlan.com.
- Select all the cells for which you want to insert the dropdown calendar.
- Go to the “Data” tab in the main menu.
- Choose the “Data Validation” function from the popup window.
- A new dialog box will appear on the right side of the screen.
- Click the “Add a rule” button.
- Select “Date is valid” from the dropdown list under the “Criteria” option.
- Click the “Done” button at the bottom right.
- Now, click on any selected cell from step 2.
- A dropdown calendar (date selector) will appear.
- Select the desired date from the calendar.
As shown in the animation above, once you select a date using the dropdown calendar, it will follow the default date format of the United States, which is month, day, and year (MM-DD-YYYY).
Q. How to Change the Default Date Format in Google Sheets?
Most countries use the date format of the United States. However, if your country follows a different date format, follow these steps:
- Go to the “File” tab in the main menu.
- Select the “Settings” option from the popup window.
- A new dialog box will open.
- Click on the dropdown list under the “Language & region format” option to explore the available countries.
- Choose your desired format, such as “United Kingdom” for day, month, and year (DD-MM-YYYY).
- Click the “Save and reload” button.
Google Sheets will instantly reload the current page, and the dates will be formatted according to your chosen format.
Q. How to Use Custom Date Format in Google Sheets?
In addition to the predefined date formats specific to certain countries, you can also choose from a range of custom date formats in Google Sheets. Follow these steps:
- Select all the cells containing the date.
- Go to the “Format” tab in the main menu.
- Choose the “Number” option from the popup window.
- Then, select “More formats” from the list.
- A new dialog box will appear.
- Select the desired date format from the available options.
- Click the “Apply” button at the top.
You can also create your own custom date format using the upper section of the custom date and time formats dialog box, as shown below. Click on the month, date, and year to see the available formatting options. Once you’re done, click the “Apply” button at the top.
Q. How to Allow Users to Select a Date within a Range Using the Dropdown Calendar in Google Sheets?
Once again, we will utilize the data validation feature in Google Sheets, but this time, instead of selecting “Date is valid,” we will choose the option “Date is between.” Let’s get started:
- Open a new Google Spreadsheet by clicking here Crawlan.com.
- Select all the cells for which you want to insert the dropdown calendar.
- Click on the “Data” tab in the main menu.
- Click on the “Data Validation” function from the popup window.
- A new dialog box will appear on the right side of the screen.
- Click on the “Add a rule” button.
- Click on the dropdown list under the “Criteria” option.
- Choose “Date is between.”
- Two new empty boxes will appear.
- Enter the start date in the first box. For example, let’s put “1/1/2023.”
- Enter the end date in the second box, for example, “31/1/2023.”
- Click the “Done” button at the bottom right.
Now, if you click on any cell starting from step 2, you will see a dropdown calendar. If you select a date that falls outside the defined range, Google Sheets will display an error, prompting the user to select a date within the specified dates.
Method #2 – Manually Entering a Valid Date
This is the quickest method to add the dropdown calendar to a cell. It is the best choice when working with a single or limited number of dates.
- Open a new Google Spreadsheet by clicking here Crawlan.com.
- Click on any cell. Let’s click on cell “B2” as an example.
- Type the date “1/1/2023.”
- Press the “Enter” key.
Now, double-click on cell “B2” to display the dropdown calendar. This process will only work for valid dates. To ensure date validity, you must have a thorough understanding of date formats in Google Sheets.
Consider the following example:
In the image above, the first three cells contain valid dates, while the last two cells contain invalid dates.
How to Verify a Valid Date in Google Sheets
Dates can be written in various formats, and as humans, we can interpret them. However, in the case of Google Sheets, it only accepts dates written in a specific format. Let’s discuss a few methods to validate a date in Google Sheets.
1. Check Date Alignment
As shown in the image above, valid dates are aligned to the right of their respective cells.
Note: If you’re unable to see the date alignment, it’s likely due to the cell’s width. Make sure to adjust the cell width correctly.
Google Sheets automatically moves the entered date to the left or right, depending on its format. Therefore, this is the quickest method for date validation in Google Sheets.
2. Use the ISDATE Function
The ISDATE function in Google Sheets returns TRUE for valid dates and FALSE for invalid dates.
The simple formula has the following syntax:
=ISDATE(value)
In this formula, the “value” argument should be replaced with the date you want to check. You can either manually enter the date or provide the cell reference.
Let’s use the ISDATE function on the dates mentioned above. Here are the results:
The function returned TRUE for the first three dates and FALSE for the fourth and fifth dates in the table.
3. Use the DATEVALUE Function
All dates in spreadsheet software like Google Sheets are treated as numbers.
The DATEVALUE function in Google Sheets is used to return an integer number for a valid date.
It’s a simple formula with the general syntax:
=DATEVALUE(date_string)
In the above formula, the “date_string” argument should be replaced with the date you want to validate. Please note that you can either manually enter the date or select the cell reference containing the date.
Let’s use the DATEVALUE function on the dates mentioned above. Here are the results:
Since the first three dates are valid, the DATEVALUE function generated integer numbers for them. On the other hand, for the fourth and fifth dates, the function returned the error “#VALUE!”.
Final Thoughts
The dropdown calendar is a valuable tool when you want to share your Google Sheet with clients or colleagues and allow them to input dates. They can simply click on the desired cell and choose a date from the calendar.
Make sure to use the data validation feature correctly. We have also learned how to use this feature to enable users to select a date within a predefined range.
Please note that it’s not possible to change the appearance of the dropdown calendar popup window as of August 2023.
I hope this article has taught you all the tips and tricks when it comes to inserting and using a dropdown calendar in Google Sheets. If you get stuck or encounter any errors, don’t hesitate to comment below.
