Create a Data List in Excel
After you’ve correctly entered data into a table and included the proper headers, convert the table to a list.
Basic Excel Table Information
The basic format for storing data in Excel is a table. In a table, data is entered in rows. Each row is known as a record. Once a table has been created, use Excel’s data tools to search, sort, and filter the records to find specific information.
Columns
While rows in the table are referred to as records, the columns are known as fields. Each column needs a heading to identify the data it contains. These headings are called field names. Field names are used to ensure that the data for each record is entered in the same sequence. Make sure to enter the data in a column using a consistent format. For example, If numbers are entered as digits (such as 10 or 20,) keep it up; don’t change partway through and begin entering numbers as words (such as “ten” or “twenty”). It’s also important to leave no blank columns in the table, and note that the table must contain at least two columns before a list is created.
Guard Against Data Errors
When creating the table, make sure the data is entered correctly. Data errors caused by incorrect data entry are the source of many problems related to data management. If the data is entered correctly in the beginning, you’ll get the results you want. To guard against data errors, leave no blank rows in the table being created, not even between the headings and the first row of data. Make sure each record contains data about only one specific item, and that each record contains all the data about that item. There can’t be information about an item in more than one row.
