Restore data form functionality (different from VBA UserForms)
I miss the data form feature available in previous versions of Excel and would like to see it restored in Excel for Mac. Note that the Data Form feature is not the same as VBA UserForms. There's a separate suggestion if you want to vote for VBA UserForms.
Jim
shared this idea
Thanks for the suggestion about the Data Form. We don’t have plans to implement this in the near future, so we’re marking it “Not at this time”.
We recommend using Tables to make data entry easy. To create a table, just press CMD+T. With a table, you can press TAB to move across the fields and then it will automatically go to the beginning of the next line if you’re at the last field. If you’re on the last record in the table, it will add a new record to the end of the list.
Please comment to let us know what other reasons you’re using the Data Form that make it easier/better than using a Table.
136 comments
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Crigou
commented
Hi James.
You are right, as in this recent article on the subject:
https://spreadsheeto.com/mac-vs-windows/
one can read:
" Ideally, you have to use Excel for Windows if you’re a power user. "
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James McLallen
commented
But the is more to it than just data entry. Forms expand the table automatically and carry formula and formatting with it to the next row. In order to do the same thing in the way Admin describes you have to "insert" a new row just under the last row. Then you cave to copy every formula down to the new row. And if you have formulas that reference another worksheet that copying does not work. You have to create the formulae again. All that was done automatically with forms with the click of one button. I have been using Excel for 40+ years on PCs and Macs and I would suggest that it appears that those at Apple making these decisions are NOT professional Excel users.
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Crigou
commented
Hi Gentlemen.
Has one of you practically tested that this procedure for creating a Data Entry Form is actually not working :
https://trumpexcel.com/data-entry-form/
Thanks in advance for your cooperation.
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Ann
commented
I miss the data entry form on excel for Mac. It makes data entry easy and less mistakes. why would I want to keep hitting the tab button and go across all my columns and sometimes making mistakes. When you have a large table and need to keep making entries you need the DATA ENTRY FORM. Please put it back in. Why on earth did you remove it.??
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Anonymous
commented
WHY NOT?!!!!!
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Anonymous
commented
Danke für Ihren bisherigen Support !
Bitte implementieren Sie wieder die die "Form-Funktionen / Eigenschaften" !
Es ist für unsere Tätigkeiten sehr wichtig !! -
Gene McGinnis
commented
I don't see a Form and Table is being mutually exclusive. I have created a Table for individual assignments for a course I teach for 250 students. I have a Table that is 500 rows by 10 columns. I don't want students trying to go into the Table to choose an assignment and date. With a Form i could tell the students to choose their course section, their professor, and the specific assignment. Available dates would then show up that they could fill in. (not sure I explained this well).
I am trying to have large tables that other users can contribute to through an input form without them wading through a massive table.
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Appie Dev
commented
At the office where I am hired at the moment, they did buy 45 M1 chipped LT and Mini's. They have now 200+ mac's. They did test the MS suite on the M1's and decide to move the whole office ecosystem away from MS.
I saw that they will spend 100K for training and 250K for office app's conversions.
Shame and **** on you MS.
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Vince
commented
This is ridiculous. I don't even know how many hundreds of dollars I have painfully forked out to M$ for access to the 365 platform, and then when I actually NEED functionality, it's not there. I've been Windows-free for 15 years, and Microsoft continually gives me more reasons to further distance myself from their products.
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Anonymous
commented
Yes, Google Sheets has a Form feature, but I need VBA to freely exchange docs with Windows users. I never checked, but is it possible to sync Google Sheets with Excel?
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Anonymous
commented
Hopefully Microsoft won't mind us referring people to Google Sheets on their support forums?
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Anonymous
commented
That such a useful feature is not included for Mac is verging on crazy. There should be a reduction in cost for part completed software ...
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Anonymous
commented
@Cboat
You won't be able to do that. It is true, the Data Form feature is not part of the VBA Environment, nevertheless, the underlying language that makes it run is VBA. Not only is the Data Form feature gone, but VBA is not enabled either. So you won't be able to design your own data entry form. I tried.
Once MS decides to enable VBA again, then plugging in the script that runs the Data Form feature is just a mere slight of hand. -
Cboat
commented
I want to make a Userform/Data form that is opened by a developer button, which would be used to auto fill a table instead of manual entry.
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Lizeth
commented
I miss the data form feature available in previous versions of Excel and would like to see it restored in Excel for Mac. Note that the Data Form feature is not the same as VBA UserForms.
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Anonymous
commented
Come on Fix This!
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Anonymous
commented
Added comment, since you have a "Not at this time" could the Excel Team create and post a template for general data entry? The template like most others could then be easily modified by the user to more closely match their situation. Note, your suggestion of tables helps, but does to resolve more complex data entry.
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Anonymous
commented
I have daily inputs of an unknown data points that must be averaged per category and later grappled/charted & analyzed. Inputting of data should be easy per the use of a Data Form. Since data entry is required for essentially all Excel spreadsheets, it seems making this function as simple & easy as possible would make this function a top priority and basic requirement for Excel in general. i.e. you can't do anything until you get your data entered. Obviously I don't know why this function is not available for the Mac version of Excel, but it seems tp be fair for both platforms to have the same functionality. Please reconsider restoring this functionality.
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Anonymous
commented
To Tracy Ip
I tried to make a data entry form using Visual Basic. I could not. Because Visual Basic is disabled as well. Since the Data Form runs on VB, I believe that once Microsoft enables VB, the Data Form will come back too. All previous Mac versions had VB enabled, except for one, 2008 I believe? The uproar made Microsoft bring it back. So we have to go through all that rigamarole again... -
Tracy Ip
commented
please add the form key into office excel 2019 for Mac as soon as possible. I hope I can make the data entry form by myself. thanks for your kind help in advance. : P