Checklist in Excel

Checklist is the checkbox in excel which is used to represent whether a given task is completed or not, normally the value returned by checklist is either true or false but we can improvise with the results, when the checklist is tick marked the result is true and when it is blank the result is false, checklist can be inserted from the insert option in the developer’s tab.

What is a Checklist in Excel?

In excel we can create a checklist template and keep us up to date with all the tasks needs to do for a particular project or event.

We all plan our task, events, etc.…. We usually memorize or note down somewhere to check the list of tasks needs to be completed or list of task that is completed.

When we are planning for an event, marriage, work that includes many steps, or a project to carry out at different time frame we need many tasks to be completed on time. Remembering all those tasks r list of tasks is not a walk in the park, maintaining all the excel checklist isn’t that easy in a piece of paper.

If you have experienced such kind of problems in the past you can learn the ways of creating checklists in excel. In this article, I will explain introduce you to the interactive excel checklist template.

How to Create a Checklist in Excel Using CheckBoxes?

The most common way of creating an excel checklist template is using CheckBoxes in Excel. In our earlier article, I have elaborated the ways of using checkboxes. Checkboxes represent the selection and deselection visually.

The checkbox is available under the Developer tab. If you do not see the developer tab enable it. Once the developer tab is enabled it you can see the checkbox as shown in the below image.

Example #1

I will explain to you the simple excel checklist template for your competitive exam. Below are the tasks you need to carry out before the exam.

Copy this list in excel. Go to Developer tab then Select Check Box and Draw in B2 Cell.

Now drag the checkbox against all the task list.

Now we have the checkbox for all the tasks.

Right click on the first checkbox and select Format Control in excel.

Under Format Control go to Control and select Checked and give cell reference to C2 cell.

Now, this checkbox is linked to the cell C2. If the checkbox is ticked it will show TRUE as the result in C2 or else it will show FALSE as the result in C2 cell.

Similarly, repeat the same task but keep changing the cell reference to the respective cell. For example, for next checkbox, I will give cell reference as C3, for next, I will give cell reference as C4 and so on.

Finally, all my checkboxes settings will be done and it should look like the below one as shown in the image.

Now as the tasks keep completed keep ticking the respective task boxes to update your task list template.

Example #2 – How to Make Your Checklist More Attractive?

The above checklist list template looks ordinary. We can make this a beauty by applying conditional formatting to it.

Step 1: Select all the tasks.

Step 2: Go to Home and select Conditional Formatting then New Rule.

Step 3: Under New Rule mention the formula as =$C2=”TRUE”

Step 4: Now click on Format.

Step 5: Under Format then Go to Fill and Select the color to highlight the completed task.

Step 6: Click on OK to complete the procedure. Now if the checkbox I ticked we will get a result as TRUE in column C or else we will get the result as FALSE.

Conditional Formatting looks for all the TRUE values. If any TRUE value is found in column C it will highlight the excel checklist area with Green Color.

Example #3 – Strikethrough all the Completed Excel Check List

We can make the report more beautiful by going one extra mile in conditional formatting. We can strikethrough all the completed checklist template with conditional formatting.

In general perception, strikethrough means something which is already completed or over. So we will apply the same logic here as well.

Step 1: Select the checklist data range

Step 2: Go to Conditional Formatting and click Manage Rules

Step 3: Now you will see all the conditional formatting list. Select the rule and click on Edit Rule.

Step 4: Now click on Format and under format select Font and select Strikethrough.

Step 5: Click on OK. All the tasks which are completed will be strikethrough.

Step 6: Finally hide column C to make the checklist template more beautiful.

Things to Remember about Checklist in Excel

• Choose light color under conditional formatting to highlight.
• Strikethrough will be the sign of something already completed.
• You can create a dropdown list of Completed & Not Completed instead of time-consuming CheckBoxes.

Recommended Articles

This has been a guide to Checklist in Excel. Here we discuss how to Create a Checklist in Excel using Checkbox along with excel example and downloadable excel templates. You may also look at these useful functions in excel –

• Excel Rows & Columns Differences
• Strikethrough Text in Excel
• Sum by Color in Excel
• Excel Developer Tab
• Insert Multiple Excel Rows
• How to Sort by Color in Excel
• Vlookup Alternatives
• Using AutoFit in Excel