Show filter or drop down list item description

[AndiFHall]

I have a validation table for a drop down list that contains codes we need for our database. For example, CategoryCode: D-S; D-P; D-E, etc. The person entering data into the spreadsheet may not know which code to use or make a simple error.

Is there a way to include a label or to append a brief description, yet only capture the code into the cell? Ex: D-S - “Donor Scholarship”. I only want the “D-S” code captured in the spreadsheet.

No VBA. If not, ideas for another solution to help us with data integrity would be welcomed.

Thank you.

 

[Peter_SSs]

Welcome to the MrExcel board!

If no VBA is allowed then I would suggest set up a code/description/combined table like I have shown in columns E:G and use the 'Both' column as your Data validation choices - see cell A2.
Then use a formula in another cell (B2 for me) to extract the code for use elsewhere in your worksheet.

22 05 22.xlsm
	A	B	C	D	E	F	G
1	DV Choice	Code			Code	Description	Both
2	D-P (Descr 2)	D-P			D-S	Descr 1	D-S (Descr 1)
3					D-P	Descr 2	D-P (Descr 2)
4					D-E	Descr 3	D-E (Descr 3)
5
DV with Description

Cell Formulas
Range	Formula
B2	B2	=LEFT(A2,FIND(" (",A2)-1)
G2:G4	G2	=E2&" ("&F2&")"

Cells with Data Validation
Cell	Allow	Criteria
A2	List	=$G$2:$G$4