How to quickly move items between two list boxes in Excel?


Excel is a versatile tool that goes beyond mere calculation and data organization. One of its lesser-known but powerful features lies in the list box control, which allows us to manage and manipulate lists seamlessly. In this article, we will explore a simple yet effective method to swiftly move items between two list boxes in Excel, providing an invaluable skill for efficient data management.

Before diving into the process of transferring items between the list boxes, ensure that your Excel worksheet includes both source and destination list boxes. We can typically find these controls under the Developer tab within the ribbon menu. If you do not see this tab on your toolbar, enable it by clicking "File," then "Options," followed by selecting "Customize Ribbon" and checking off "Developer."

Quickly Move Items Between two List Boxes Using “VBA Code”

Step 1

Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), Microsoft’s programming language for Office applications like Excel, empowers us with endless possibilities when automating tasks like moving items between two different objects such as our beloved list boxes. Another fantastic method involves assigning macros or buttons within our spreadsheet interface. Open the spreadsheet with the items in the list boxes.

Step 2

By doing so, we can create personalized navigation tools tailored specifically for quick tab switches. On the Excel ribbon, click on View > Macros > Record Macro.

Step 3

Give the macro a name (like JumpTolist) and optionally assign it a shortcut key combination (such as Ctrl + J). Click on OK; Excel will start recording the actions at this point.

Step 4

Then right-click on the first click, and from the dropdown select the “Format Control” option. Select the range of elements to be included in the first list box and then by varying the range in list boxes the items can be moved.

Step 5

This is recorded in the macros and after doing the required changes click “Stop Recording”.

The above macro allows us to swiftly move multiple selected items from ListBox2 (our source) into ListBox1 (the destination). Excel automatically assigns unique indexes to each item in a list box, which aids us in managing the transfer process seamlessly.

Conclusion

With these detailed methods at our disposal, we can conveniently move items between two list boxes in Microsoft Excel. By utilizing macros, it offers an efficient way of managing large sets of categorized data within lists. By implementing these techniques effectively, we will improve productivity while streamlining our workflow when working with list boxes in Excel.

Updated on: 19-Oct-2023

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