---
description: Use data validation to build no-code logic into your spreadsheets.
---

# Data validation

## Getting started&#x20;

To get started with **Data validation**, right click a cell and use the expand menu. Select **Data validation**.&#x20;

**Data validation** can also be found from the command palette (ctrl/cmd+p).&#x20;

{% hint style="info" %}
Results from data validations can be read by programming languages like Python, JavaScript, and Formulas in Quadratic. Combine code with no-code data validations to build unlimited logic and applications for your team.&#x20;
{% endhint %}

<figure><img src="https://2438361843-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Ff1Y5UzPF2x1oIzVJbUK8%2Fuploads%2FQudyI8wD4GnOUNyegxAc%2FCleanShot%202024-08-23%20at%2014.15.14%402x.png?alt=media&#x26;token=dabfb6cb-30e4-49df-83be-9e74cd9dd53b" alt=""><figcaption><p>Right click --> "..." --> Data validation</p></figcaption></figure>

## Dropdowns

You can create dropdowns from statically entered list or by reading from existing data in the sheet. In the following example the data in our dropdown is from column 3.&#x20;

You can also search inside of dropdowns to filter for the criteria you're looking for.&#x20;

<figure><img src="https://2438361843-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Ff1Y5UzPF2x1oIzVJbUK8%2Fuploads%2FAwlRllMEXBohH0UgH2F3%2FCleanShot%202024-08-26%20at%2013.07.29%402x.png?alt=media&#x26;token=a498dc71-6e48-48ca-87b5-3e08a8bd7773" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

## Checkboxes

Checkboxes resolve to TRUE or FALSE and can be read by programming languages. Note the following checkbox which is read into Python; if TRUE the code runs to calculate top 5 by set criteria, if FALSE the code doesn't run. You can use these checkboxes for all sorts of logic.

<figure><img src="https://2438361843-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Ff1Y5UzPF2x1oIzVJbUK8%2Fuploads%2F1K6VBJGaJeygeRyvq6xj%2FCleanShot%202024-08-26%20at%2013.10.55.gif?alt=media&#x26;token=b2aa7be0-4680-41fd-92fd-2b42ef4748b4" alt="" width="375"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

## Insert message

You can insert messages to cells using the message validation. In this example we describe where the data for this validation is coming from in a static message that displays each time the cell is clicked.&#x20;

<figure><img src="https://2438361843-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Ff1Y5UzPF2x1oIzVJbUK8%2Fuploads%2F3zJA8Ex8luJ3Y4s6Qpb2%2FCleanShot%202024-08-26%20at%2013.13.24%402x.png?alt=media&#x26;token=5c321ea7-022f-4e6f-8621-8f80821ba86a" alt="" width="375"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>



