Skip to main content

How to allow only date format in specific cells?

How could you restrict a list of cells to only allow entering date format in Excel worksheet? In this article, I will talk about some interesting tricks for dealing with this job.

Allow only date format in specific cells with Data Validation function

Allow only date format in specific cells with VBA code

arrow blue right bubble Allow only date format in specific cells with Data Validation function

In Excel, the Data Validation is a powerful function which can help you to create drop down list, to prevent duplicate entries, etc. It also can help you to prevent entering other data format but only date format in specific cells. Please do with following steps:

1. Click Data > Data Validation > Data Validation, see screenshot:

doc allow date 1

2. In the Data Validation dialog box, click Settings tab, and then choose Custom from the Allow drop down list, then enter this formula: =AND(ISNUMBER(B2),LEFT(CELL("format",B2),1)="D") into the Formula text box, see screenshot:

doc allow date 2

Note: In the above formula, B2 is the first cell of the column which you want to restrict the data format.

doc allow date 3

3. Then go on clicking Error Alert tab in the dialog box, please do the following operations:

(1.) Check Show error alert after invalid data is entered option;

(2.) Under the Style drop down, please select Stop option;

(3.) Type the Title and Error message that you want to display in the prompt box.

4. After finishing the settings, click OK button, and now, when you enter the data which is not real date format, a prompt box will pop out to remind you as following screenshot shown:

doc allow date 4

arrow blue right bubble Allow only date format in specific cells with VBA code

The second method, I will introduce a VBA code for you.

1. Activate the worksheet that you want to use.

2. Then right click the sheet tab, and select View Code from the context menu, see screenshot:

doc allow date 5

3. In the displayed Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window, copy and paste the below code into the Module, see screenshot:

VBA code: Only allow date format entering in specific cells:

Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
'updateby Extendoffice
Set w = ActiveSheet.Range("B2:B12")
For Each c In w
If c.Value <> "" And Not IsDate(c) Then
c.ClearContents
MsgBox "Only a date format is permitted in this cell."
End If
Next c
End Sub

doc allow date 6

4. Then save ad close the code, now, when you enter the value which is not date format in range B2:B12, a prompt box will pop out to remind you, and the cell value will be cleared at the same time, see screenshot:

doc allow date 7

Best Office Productivity Tools

Supercharge Your Spreadsheets： Experience Efficiency Like Never Before with Kutools for Excel

Popular Features: Find/Highlight/Identify Duplicates   |  Delete Blank Rows   |  Combine Columns or Cells without Losing Data   |   Round without Formula ...
Super Lookup: Multiple Criteria VLookup  |   Multiple Value VLookup  |   VLookup Across Multiple Sheets   |   Fuzzy Lookup ....
Advanced Drop-down List: Quickly Create Drop Down List   |  Dependent Drop Down List   |  Multi-select Drop Down List ....
Column Manager: Add a Specific Number of Columns   |   Move Columns   |   Unhide Columns   |   Compare Columns to Select Same & Different Cells ...
Featured Features: Grid Focus   |  Design View   |   Big Formula Bar   |  Workbook & Sheet Manager   |  Resource Library (Auto Text)   |  Date Picker   |  Combine Worksheets   |  Encrypt/Decrypt Cells   |  Send Emails by List   |  Super Filter   |   Special Filter (filter bold/italic/strikethrough...) ...
Top 15 Toolset:  12 Text Tools (Add Text, Remove Characters, ...)   |   50+ Chart Types (Gantt Chart, ...)   |   40+ Practical Formulas (Calculate age based on birthday, ...)   |   19 Insertion Tools (Insert QR Code, Insert Picture from Path, ...)   |   12 Conversion Tools (Numbers to Words, Currency Conversion, ...)   |   7 Merge & Split Tools (Advanced Combine Rows, Split Cells, ...)   |   Many More...

Kutools for Excel boasts over 300 features, ensuring that what you need is just a click away...

Supports Office/Excel 2007-2021 & newer, including 365   |   Available in 44 languages   |   Enjoy a full-featured 30-day free trial.

kte tab 201905

Office Tab Brings Tabbed interface to Office, and Make Your Work Much Easier

  • Enable tabbed editing and reading in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Access, Visio and Project.
  • Open and create multiple documents in new tabs of the same window, rather than in new windows.
  • Increases your productivity by 50%, and reduces hundreds of mouse clicks for you every day!

 

Comments (11)
No ratings yet. Be the first to rate!
CATALINA
CATALINA
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Buenos dias

Estoy utilizando la formula en la validación de datos pero no me deja ingresar ningún formato de fecha, me puede explicar por favor

Muchas gracias
Reply
0
0
Ramesh Tiwari
Ramesh Tiwari
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Hi I want to restrict the Date Format in DD.MM.YYYY in excel
May please suggest
Reply
0
0
skyyang
skyyang     Ramesh Tiwari
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Hello, Ramesh
To restrict the Date Format in DD.MM.YYYY, you can apply the below code:
Note: Please change the cell reference B2:B12 to your own list of cell.
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
'updateby Extendoffice
    On Error Resume Next
    
    Dim Bool As Boolean
    Dim Rg As Range
    Dim xRegEx As Object
    
    Bool = False

    Set Rg = Application.Intersect(Target, ActiveSheet.Range("B2:B12"))
    If Rg Is Nothing Then Exit Sub

    Set xRegEx = CreateObject("VBSCRIPT.REGEXP")
    With xRegEx
        .Pattern = "^[0-3]\d\.[0-1][0-2]\.\d{4}$"
        .Global = True
        .IgnoreCase = True
    End With
    
    Application.EnableEvents = False
    For Each c In Target
        If c.Value <> "" Then
            If Not xRegEx.test(c.Text) Then
                c.ClearContents
                Bool = True
            End If
        End If
    Next c
    Application.EnableEvents = True
    If Bool Then
        MsgBox "Error date format."
    End If
End Sub


Please have a try, hope it can help you!
Reply
Report
0
0
Bart
Bart
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Hello,Sorry for refreshing, the code works very nice, thank you. I just want to add one more check if its possible.Is it possible to check cell on the left if it contain certain value. Basically what I need is: if cell on the left contain N then that cell in range have to be input as a date.If cell on the left is Y then that cell needs to stay blank.
Reply
0
0
Roberto Luongo
Roberto Luongo
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
How can I oblige to enter a time? (hh:mm)Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
'updateby Extendoffice 20150530
Set w = ActiveSheet.Range("B2:B12")
For Each c In w
If c.Value <> "" And Not IsDate(c) Then <----------------------------And Not isTime(c) doesn't work!
c.ClearContents
MsgBox "Only a date format is permitted in this cell."
End If
Next c
End Sub
Reply
0
0
skyyang
skyyang     Roberto Luongo
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Hello, Roberto,

To only allow time format to be entered, you should apply the below code:



Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)

'updateby Extendoffice

Dim xArr As Variant

Dim xF As Integer

Dim xB As Boolean

Dim xWRg, xCRg As Range

Set xWRg = ActiveSheet.Range("B2:B20")

For Each xCRg In xWRg

xArr = Split(xCRg.Value, ":")

xB = False

If UBound(xArr) <= 2 Then

For xF = LBound(xArr) To UBound(xArr)

If IsNumeric(xArr(xF)) Then

If xF = 0 Then

If (xArr(xF) > 0) And (xArr(xF) < 24) Then

Else

xB = True

GoTo BTime

End If

Else

If (xArr(xF) > 0) And (xArr(xF) < 60) Then

Else

xB = True

GoTo BTime

End If

End If

Else

xB = True

GoTo BTime

End If

Next

Else

MsgBox "Only a time format is permitted in this cell."

xCRg.ClearContents

End If

BTime:

If xB Then

MsgBox "Only a time format is permitted in this cell."

xCRg.ClearContents

End If

Next xCRg

End Sub



Please try it, thank you!
Reply
Report
0
0
Kevin
Kevin
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Thank you so much, for the VBA code to be applied to multiple columns can you please provide the formula?.. I tried but ended up getting a 405 error!
Reply
0
0
skyyang
skyyang     Kevin
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Hello, Kevin,
To make the code applied for multiple ranges, you just need to add the cell references into the code as below:

Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
Set w = ActiveSheet.Range("B2:B12,A1:A10,C5:C20")
For Each c In w
If c.Value <> "" And Not IsDate(c) Then
c.ClearContents
MsgBox "Only a date format is permitted in this cell."
End If
Next c
End Sub

Please try, hope it can help you!
Reply
Report
0
0
Kevin
Kevin     skyyang
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Thanks a lot @skyyang, really appreciate your help :)
Reply
0
0
Ashok
Ashok
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
how to add a date validation for date format "DD-mmm-yyy" (15-Dec-2018) like this
Reply
0
0
sagar
sagar
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
which date format is this function allowed. It is not working for some dates
Reply
0
0
There are no comments posted here yet
Please leave your comments in English
Guest
Posting as Guest
×
Rate this post:
Reset
0   Characters
Suggested Locations