Fun with the Spinner Buttons!

Since they control the data that can be entered and are easy-to-use, so-called “Spinner” buttons can be a clever addition to a spreadsheet. To add a spinner in Excel 2003 and in earlier versions of Excel, click the Spinner button on the Forms toolbar, and then draw your spinner on your worksheet. (You can size the Spinner to your liking.) To add a Spinner in Excel 2007, click the Developer tab, click Insert, and then click Spin Button in the Form Controls section.

Now you are all set to have some fun! Right-click on the spinner, and then click Format Control. On the Control tab complete the values as follows (this is a test, ma’am or sir, only a test…):

1. Current value: 1
2. Minimum value: 1
3. Maximum value: 10
4. Incremental value 1
5. Cell link: $C$7 (Note: Any of these values can be of your own choosing.)

Now when you click the Spinner control, cell C7 is be updated according to the parameters you set. If you have created a worksheet where other cell values or results are dependent on the value in C7, your worksheet will update according to the quantity you select with the Spinner.

How cool is that! Make your Excel worksheets look like someone spent hours of programming time on them in just 5 minutes. Give it a try (people will think you are a Star!).