- This is serious.

We have to learn how to control inputs in our spreadsheets.

Mistakes cause problems.

They invite a lot of questions.

And when we can control the inputs,

we keep crazy stuff out

and we maintain the integrity of the data that we allow in.

Let's check this out.

Now here, we've got some data about programs

and our funding is tied to this data.

We've got

kids names,

ages,

and the number of days they were absent.

We know we only deal with kids from eight to 12,

so we should not have a five or a 19 or a J

in this sale.

So let's look at this

Andrea age.

So I go to type of nine for Andrea,

but I accidentally hit I

Excel should not take that.

So let's delete that.

Now, I'm going to highlight the entire column

in the Data tab in the ribbon

Data tools,

Data Validation

allow any value,

No,

that gives the forensic accounts to show up,

hit the drop down list,

whole number

between minimum eight,

maximum 12.

We can put an Error Alert.

If somebody puts in something crazy,

we're going to have the message,

you know better than that exclamation point.

OK.

Now, Andrea,

I accidentally type, I Enter,

"You know, better than that!"

Cancel.

So now Andrea is 10 years old.

Great. It took the 10.

With data validation.

You can control a lot.

So go in there and check it out.

You can control dates.

You can control certain texts.

You can control whether something is an integer

or a decimal.

The bottom line though,

is you need to get to know data validation

so that you can keep the crazy stuff out of your data.

(upbeat music)