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In Excel 2003 the Validation option under Tools is grayed out for a specific workbook. The sheet is not locked or protected, but it is shared. Even the author of the sheet has the Validation grayed out. I can change the drop down choices, though. That is if I change the list, the list that drops down changes. If I open a new workbook Validation is no longer grayed out. Any ideas on how to "un-gray" the validation so I can add or remove drop downs?

fixer1234
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Dan
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  • I don't have 2003 any more, so can't test this, but is it happening on all cells/ranges, or can you click on some individual cells and add it? Are there merged cells involved? Because those can mess up some functions. – techturtle Mar 28 '13 at 18:44
  • Is the worksheet protected or set as shared? – Col Mar 28 '13 at 18:48
  • You said "The sheet is not locked or protected, but it is shared." Did you try turning off sharing? – CharlieRB Mar 28 '13 at 19:38

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Data validation (and a few other things) cannot be changed in shared workbooks. Unshare the file, change the data validation settings and share it again.

Be aware that with shared workbooks the only question is when (not if) they will become corrupt and stop working as expected. Shared workbooks are notoriously unreliable, impossible to troubleshoot and should be avoided. Excel was not designed for simultaneous multi-user access. If that functionality is required, then a system like Access or SQL should be used.

teylyn
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