Excel Tips: An Alternative to Cell Comments

Excel Tips: An Alternative to Cell Comments

It is possible to attach comments to any cell, this can be done by right-clicking a cell and choosing Insert Comment from menu. An alternative way is by selecting Review – Comments – New Comment.

If a user has chosen to hide all comments and comment indicators then any message which has been added to the workbook will most likely go unseen.

However, there is a method which can be used to ensure that a comment will always be seen regardless of whether the user has chosen to hide comments. This is achieved by using Excel’s Data Validation feature, which will display a pop-up message whenever a cell is activated.

If a user has chosen to hide all comments and comment indicators then any message which has been added to the workbook will most likely go unseen.

However, there is a method which can be used to ensure that a comment will always be seen regardless of whether the user has chosen to hide comments. This is achieved by using Excel’s Data Validation feature, which will display a pop-up message whenever a cell is activated.

To add a message to a cell using the Data Validation feature:

1. Activate the cell which you would like to add a message to
2. Select Data – Data Tools – Data Validation
3. The Data Validation dialog box will pop up, here click on Input Message
4. Enter an optional title for the message in the Title field, and then the message itself in the Input Message box
5. Click OK and the Data Validation dialog box will close.

Now whenever that particular cell is activated the message you entered will always appear.

We cover many Excel tips and techniques in our range of training courses for Microsoft Excel.