Deleting an unwanted AutoComplete entry

[Guest]

I have enabled AutoComplete for cell values so that Excel 2003 completes text
entries I start to type in a column of data. If the first few letters you
type match an existing entry in that column, Excel fills in the remaining
text for you. However, how do I delete an AutoComplete entry that I no longer
want and keep the rest?

 

[Dave Peterson]

Autocomplete works by inspecting the values in the cells surrounding the
activecell.

The only way I know to remove any value from those autocomplete suggestions is
to remove those values from the surrounding cells.

 

[Guest]

How do I remove the values from the surrounding cells?

 

[Dave Peterson]

Select the cells and hit the delete key?????

Are you sure you want to do this?

 

[Guest]

I just realized what you meant by cell values--sorry. I discovered a
workaround. If I type a space before the cell value that is causing the
autocomplete entry to appear, it stops it from appearing automatically while
still retaining it in the drop down list.

 

[Gord Dibben]

Careful with this Arlene.

An extra space in the cell will cause problems down the road when sorting,
filtering and other functions.

The cells prefaced with a space will sort before those without.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

I just realized what you meant by cell values--sorry. I discovered a
workaround. If I type a space before the cell value that is causing the
autocomplete entry to appear, it stops it from appearing automatically while
still retaining it in the drop down list.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the heads up.

Careful with this Arlene.

An extra space in the cell will cause problems down the road when sorting,
filtering and other functions.

The cells prefaced with a space will sort before those without.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP