How to Insert a Date Picker in Excel (With Step-by-Step Procedure)

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Why Is Date Picker Useful in Excel?

Here’s an example of a date picker in Excel. You can use it to select a date from a calendar-like template to input into a cell.

Limitations of the Date Picker in Excel

Microsoft’s Date Picker control is only available in 32-bit versions of Excel 2016, Excel 2013, and Excel 2010, but it won’t work on Excel 64-bit or on later versions. For other versions of Excel, use a third-party add-in.

Step-by-Step Guide to Insert a Date Picker in Excel

Step 1 – Enable the Developer Tab

If you can see the Developer tab on your Excel ribbon, you can skip this step.

• Click on the File tab.
• Click on Options.

• From the Excel Options dialog box, click on Customize Ribbon option on the left side.

• From the list on the right, select Main Tabs.
• Check the Developer box.

• Press OK.
• Exit Excel Settings.

Step 2 – Insert a Date Picker

• Go to the Developer tab.
• From the Controls tab, click on Insert.

• From the ActiveX Controls, click on More Controls.

• Select Microsoft Date and Time Picker Control 6.0 (SP6) from the More Controls dialog box.

• Click on OK.
• Click on the cell where you want to insert the date picker.

• This inserted a date picker control in the cell.

Step 3 – Customize the Date Picker

• To make it larger or smaller, drag the date picker by its corners.

• While the Design mode is on, right-click on the date picker, then click on Properties.

• You will see various options. We will work with a few of them.

• You can change the height, width, font, color, etc.
• Drag the date picker to the location of the cell where you want to place it.

Step 4 – Link the Date Picker Control to a Cell

• Right-click on the date picker.

• Click on Properties.

• In the Linked Cell option, type the cell reference you want to connect.

• When you select a date from the calendar, you will automatically see the date on the linked cell. Click on OK if Excel shows the “Can’t set cell value to NULL…” blunder.
• To accept Null values, change the value from FALSE to TRUE in the CheckBox.

• If you right-click on the date picker and click on View Code, you will see the VBA code associated with it.

How to Insert a Date Picker on a Whole Column in Excel

Case 1 – Insert a Date Picker for a Single Column

Steps

• Insert a date picker (see above).
• Right-click on the date picker.
• Click on View Code.

• Clear the VBA code and insert the following:

Sub Worksheet_SelectionChange(ByVal Target As Range)
  
  With Sheet1.DTPicker1
    .Height = 20         
    .Width = 20         
    If Not Intersect(Target, Range("B:B")) Is Nothing Then             
      .Visible = True             
      .Top = Target.Top             
      .Left = Target.Offset(0, 1).Left             
      .LinkedCell = Target.Address         
    Else             
      .Visible = False         
    End If     
  End With               
      
End Sub

This code sets column B as a date picker.

• Deselect the Design mode.
• Click on any cell of column B. You will see date picker control from every cell.

Code Explanations:

Read More: Excel Macro: Insert Date and Time in a Cell (4 Examples)

Case 2 – Insert a Date Picker for Multiple Columns

Use the code from Case 1 and make the following change in the IF segment:

The following code will set a date picker for columns B, D, E, G:

Here, we are not assigning the date picker in the entire column. We are inserting it in a range of cells. Date picker 1 for B5:B14, Date picker 2 for D5:E14, and Date picker 3 for G5:G14.

Private Sub Worksheet_SelectionChange(ByVal Target As Range)    

  With Sheet1.DTPicker1    
    .Height = 20             
    .Width = 20             
    If Not Intersect(Target, Range("B5:B14")) Is Nothing Then
      .Visible = True
      .Top = Target.Top
      .Left = Target.Offset(0, 1).Left
      .LinkedCell = Target.Address
    Else
      .Visible = False
    End If
  End With

  With Sheet1.DTPicker2    
    .Height = 20             
    .Width = 20             
    If Not Intersect(Target, Range("D5:E14")) Is Nothing Then
      .Visible = True
      .Top = Target.Top
      .Left = Target.Offset(0, 1).Left
      .LinkedCell = Target.Address
    Else
      .Visible = False
    End If
  End With

  With Sheet1.DTPicker3    
    .Height = 20             
    .Width = 20             
    If Not Intersect(Target, Range("H5:H14")) Is Nothing Then
      .Visible = True
      .Top = Target.Top
      .Left = Target.Offset(0, 1).Left
      .LinkedCell = Target.Address
    Else
      .Visible = False
    End If
  End With
  
End Sub

We have three date pickers: one for column B, one for columns D and E combined, and another one for column G.

Things to Remember

• Make sure to link the date picker with a cell if you are working with one.
• Your file should be saved as a Macro-Enabled Workbook (.xlsm).
• To make any change to the date picker, make sure to select it from the developer tab.
• To see the changes, deselect the date picker.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any Excel add-ins available for date pickers?

Some popular add-ins include “Mini Calendar and Date Picker” and “Excel Date Picker (DateDialer)”.

Can I restrict the selectable dates in an Excel date picker?

With VBA programming, you can control the range of dates available for selection, such as setting a minimum and maximum date range or excluding certain dates.

Can I use an Excel date picker in multiple cells or worksheets?

You can either duplicate the code or add multiple instances of the date picker control within your VBA solution. To use VBA for date pickers, check out this article.

Excel Date Picker: Knowledge Hub

• [Solved!] Datepicker Not Showing in Excel
• How to Use Date Picker in Excel 64-Bit
• Excel Date Picker for Entire Column
• Make an Alternative to Datepicker in Excel
• How to Insert Calendar in Excel Cell
• Insert Drop Down Calendar in Excel Without Date Picker
• How to Use Excel UserForm as Date Picker

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