Simple User Form in Excel
Filling in an Excel spreadsheet for something like a simple email directory can be made easy by using the built in Excel Simple User Form. You do not need to write macros, user form code, or anything difficult. A basic setup on row one of the items you want on the form, followed by highlighting those items, and then issue a short sequence of key commands will make the form and bring it up for you to use. When you are finished using the form, hit Escape and your are back on the spreadsheet, with all of the content you just put in the form. The key sequence for creating the form, for the items you have highlighted is Alt d o Enter. Do the following activity to create and use a simple form showing people's age. When you are finished practicing this skill, move to the link titled "BACK" at the bottom of this page to go to the "Excel Lessons" web page.
1. Open Excel.
2. Type "Name" (without the quotes)--you should be in cell a1.
3. Hit the Tab key one time.
4. Type a number for the person's age--you should be in cell b1.
5. Left arrow one time, or Shift Tab to go back to cell a1.
6. Press and hold down the Shift key and hit the right arrow key one time--you have just highlighted cells a1 and b1.
7. Hit the Alt key.
8. Hit the letter d (as in dog).
9. Hit the letter o.
10. Hit Enter and your form should come up.
11. Type a name.
12. Hit Tab one time.
13. Type a number for the age.
14. Hit Enter one time.
15. Type a name.
16. Hit Tab one time.
17. Type a number for the age.
18. Hit Enter one time.
19. Hit the Escape key.
20. Move to cell a2 and see if there is a name.
21. Right arrow to cell b2 to see if there is an age.
22. Move back to cell a1.
23. Press and hold down the Shift key and right arrow one time.
24. Issue the Alt d o key sequence--you should not have to hit Enter this time.
25. Tab down the first person and age, and then through the buttons. You can hit Enter on "New" if you want to add another person, or Enter on "Delete" if you want to delete a person, or "Find Next or Find Previous."
26. Move to cell a2.
27. Tab to the "Criteria" button.
28. Hit Enter one time.
29. Type one of the names you put in earlier. If that person's information does not come up, Tab to the "Find Previous" button and hit Enter.
30. Each time you bring up the user form, listen to what your screen reader is telling you. You might think you are in the "Criteria" form when you are actually in the "New" form.
31. Hit Escape to close the simple user form.
32. User your Excel key navigation commands to explore the information you have put in the spreadsheet. You can always bring the form back up with Alt d o and either add new, delete, or edit records.