The data form in Excel allows you to add, edit and delete records (rows) and display only those records that meet certain criteria. Especially when you have wide rows and you want to avoid repeated scrolling to the right and left, the data form can be useful.
1. Open the downloadable Excel file.
2. Add the Form command to the Quick Access Toolbar.
Right-click an empty space on the ribbon and choose Customize the Ribbon. In the dialog box that follows, set Choose commands from: to choose Commands Not in the Ribbon. On the right-hand side, select Data and click the New Group button. Finally, with both Form and New Group (Custom) selected, click the Add >> button. Part II: Tools and Wizards Part III: The Page Property Sheet Part IV: The Database Property Sheet. Crystal Reports Application Development and Deployment.
3. Click the Form command.
4. Use the Find Prev and Find Next buttons to easily switch from one record (row) to another.
Note: use the New or Delete button to add or delete records. Once you start editing a record, you can use the Restore button to undo any changes you make.
5. To display only those records that meet certain criteria, click the Criteria button.
6. Enter the criteria and click the Form button.
7. Now, when you use the Find Prev and Find Next buttons, you will only see those records that meet these criteria. In our example, only record 13.
Note: to edit the criteria, click the Criteria button again. To close the data form, click the Close button.
Data entry isn’t fun, but sometimes it has to be done. Excel has a neat hidden feature made just for data entry. The data entry form allows you to view one record at a time in a more natural horizontal orientation which can make the data entry a bit easier in some cases.
To use the data entry form you will need your data to be in certain format.
- One record of your data should be in one row in Excel.
- Your data should have column headings in each column above the data.
- Your data should have at least one record in it before you activate the data entry form.
Step 1: Adding the data entry form to the Quick Access Toolbar.
![Excel Excel](http://slideplayer.com/5707241/18/images/10/Starting+the+Text+Import+Wizard.jpg)
Open the quick access toolbar options menu.
- Press the small options icon to the right of the quick access toolbar.
- Select More Commands from the drop down list.
Add the Form to your quick access toolbar.
- From the Choose commands drop down list select Commands Not in the Ribbon.
- Scroll down until you see Form… and select it.
- Press the Add button.
- You should see the Form… appear in the right most box.
- Press the OK button.
Step 2: Using the data entry form.
Now we can use the data entry form.
- Make sure your data is similarly formatted like the example data then place the active cell cursor anywhere inside your data.
- Each row is one record set (i.e. in our example row 2 contains all information about Luke, row 2 contains all information about Han etc…).
- Each column of data has a column heading (i.e. in our example Name, Planet and Email in row 1).
- We have at least one row of data.
- Press the Form button in the quick access toolbar.
- A data entry and viewing form will appear with your data items allowing you to view or add records.
- You can navigate your existing data by using the Find Prev or Find Next button.
- You can add a record by pressing the New button or you can also delete existing records from the table with the Delete button.
Scrolling through your data
Adding a new record
Deleting an existing record.
Wow, who knew data entry could be so much fun 😀