MS-Excel / Excel 2003

Converting a list back into a regular cell range

Excel saves all lists that you define for your spreadsheet. If you decide that you no longer need a particular list, you can convert it to a regular range of cells by clicking the List button on the List toolbar and then selecting the Convert to Range item from its menu (or choose Data → List → Convert to Range). The program then displays an alert dialog box asking you to confirm the conversion, whereupon you click the Yes button.

Deleting a list

Excel lists in many ways act like self-contained units (thus the moniker, spreadsheet within a spreadsheet). This means that if you decide that you want to get rid of a list in its entirety (not just some of its cell entries or even rows and columns), you first need to select all the cells in the list, including the blank row at the bottom (in other words, every cell that lies within the heavy blue border).

After you select the cells, press Delete to remove the list, headings, data, blue border, and all. Note, however, that Excel does not actually delete the cells containing the list, so existing data in the same columns and rows do not shift their position in the worksheet to fill in the gaps.

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