Copying data validation settings

After assigning your data validation criteria to a particular cell, you can then copy these criteria to all the cells in the vicinity that need to use the same restrictions. To do this, you follow these steps:

1. Copy the cell with the data validation to the Clipboard.
   (Choose Edit → Copy or press Ctrl+C.)
2. Select the cell range into which to copy the data validation criteria.
3. Choose Edit → Paste Special or to open the Paste Special dialog box.
4. Click the Validation option button and click OK.

For example, to copy the data validation criteria that cause the cell to display the cities drop-down list box from the original cell B3 down the column to the range B4:B15, I copied the contents of B3 to the Clipboard and then selected the range B4:B15. Next, I opened the Paste Special dialog box, clicked the Validation option button, and clicked OK. As a result, all the cells from B3 down B15 use the same data validation criteria. When you put the cell pointer in any of those cells, a drop-down button appears on the right side of the cell. When clicked, this button reveals the city drop-down list.