Inspections are an important part of any business or organization. They help to ensure that the standards and regulations are followed and identify potential issues before they become serious problems. But creating inspection forms can be tedious unless you use Microsoft Excel’s Data Entry Form feature.
This powerful tool makes it easy to create custom data entry forms for inspections quickly and accurately with minimal effort. In this article, we’ll show you how to create an inspection form using Excel’s Data Entry Form feature.
This article details how to write or create an inspection form using the data entry option on Microsoft Excel. It is meant for people who prefer digesting information by reading instead of watching a tutorial video. When it comes to data entry, Excel offers many valuable features. One such feature is creating inspection forms for your business.
An Overview of Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Excel is a powerful spreadsheet application developed by Microsoft as part of its Microsoft Office suite. It is widely used for various purposes, including data organization, analysis, and visualization. Excel allows users to create tables, perform calculations, apply formulas, create charts, and manage data efficiently using rows and columns.
Excel offers numerous features and tools, such as pivot tables, which help summarize and analyze large datasets, and functions like VLOOKUP, SUM, and COUNT, which simplify complex calculations. Additionally, Excel supports conditional formatting, data validation, and macros that automate repetitive tasks, making it a versatile tool for individuals and businesses.
Microsoft Excel is available on various platforms, including Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, and it also has a web-based version accessible through the Microsoft 365 subscription service.
Why Do You Need Data Entry Forms in Excel?
Not everyone needs Microsoft Excel to create an inspection form. But if you’re interested in making one this way, we recommend you try the Excel data entry form feature by following this guide.
When it comes to data entry and creating inspection forms in Excel, there are two common issues that you should be wary about:
It Can Get Very Tedious
When you enter the data in one cell, you’ll need to go to the next one and enter it manually. In other cases, you need to scroll up and see which column it is and what data you need to enter. If you’re not paying attention, you might get lost in the process and must retrace your steps to get back on track.
It’s Prone To Errors
If you have a vast data set that requires 30+ entries, there’s a possibility that you may end up entering the wrong data in a cell. As a result, every output you make will be wrong because of a single error in your sheet.
Fortunately, the data entry form feature on Excel can help make the process faster, more efficient, and error-free! But before you learn how to create an inspection form via this feature, let’s first show you how it works and what it does.
Traditional Excel
Every time a user adds a new record, they will have to select the cell in the next empty row; then, they’ll need to go cell by cell to enter data for each column. While this method is excellent, it’s very tedious and error-prone.
Data Entry via Excel
A more efficient way of doing data entry, especially when creating an inspection form, is to use the Data Entry Form option. It offers a quicker and easier way to enter data without fear of making mistakes. It’s easier than regular data entry on Excel since it has everything you need to fill out in a single dialog box.
Data Entry Form in Excel
The first thing you must remember when creating an inspection form using the data entry form feature in Excel is that it requires a little pre-work. You might notice that on Excel, there isn’t any option to use a data entry form. That’s because you will need to add this feature to the ‘Quick Access’ toolbar before you can use it.
How to Add Data Entry Form To Quick Access Toolbar
Follow the steps below to learn how to add the data entry form option to the Quick Access Toolbar:
- Right-click any icon in the Quick Access toolbar.
- Select ‘Customize Quick Access Toolbar.’
- In the ‘Excel Options’ dialog box, click on the ‘All Commands’ option from the drop-down.
- Scroll down the list and click on ‘Form.’
- Click ‘Add’ and click ‘OK.’
After following these steps, you can add the Form icon to the Quick Access Toolbar. Once this icon is visible in the QAT, you can click any cell in your dataset where you intend to make an entry and click on it.
Elements of a Data Entry Form in Excel
A data entry form in Excel features the following buttons:
- ‘New’ – clears any existing data in your inspection form; allows you to create a new record.
- ‘Delete’ – deletes a current record
- ‘Restore’ – restores the previous data in the form.
- ‘Find Prev’ – finds and restores the previous entry.
- ‘Find Next’ – finds the next entry.
- ‘Criteria’ – allows you to find specific records.
- ‘Close’ – closes the existing form.
- ‘Scroll Bar’ – use this to go through the records.
After familiarizing these buttons and what they do, the next step is to review what you can do with a data entry form in Excel. Keep in mind that you’ll need to convert your data into an Excel Table and select particular cells before opening the Data Entry Form option.
If you fail to select a cell in the Excel table, it will display an error message saying:
“This can’t be applied to the selected range. Select a single cell in a range and try again.”
Create an Inspection Form Using New Data Entry Form
Now that you’re all set, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use the data entry form option when creating an inspection form in Excel:
- Create your inspection form; add all the relevant elements and items you must check.
- Choose and click on any cell in your spreadsheet.
- Select and click the Form icon in the QAT.
- Enter the appropriate data in the form fields.
- Press the ‘Enter’ key to enter the record in the table and get a new blank form for the next record.
Navigating & Editing Existing Records
One of the advantages of using the data entry form in Excel is that you can easily go through and make changes to the records without leaving the dialog box. This feature is useful if you have a dataset filled with inspection information in many different columns. You can save a lot of time by not having to scroll and go back and forth.
Here’s a step-by-step on how you can navigate and edit the records using a data entry form:
- Choose and select any cell in your Excel spreadsheet.
- Click the Form icon in the QAT.
- To jump to the next entry, click the ‘Find Next’ button and go to the previous entry; click the ‘Find Prev’ button.
- Make the changes by editing the chosen entry and hitting the enter button. If you want to revert to the original entry, click the Restore button.
- If you want to do it manually, you can use the scroll bar to go through each entry.
Restricting Data Entry Based on Rules
Sometimes, you would want to restrict data entry based on certain rules. To do so, you can use data validation in cells to check if the data you entered conforms to these rules. For example, if you want to verify that the data column only accepts data during a data entry, create a data validation rule that only allows dates.
Once this is active, any user that enters data that isn’t a date will not be allowed. An error dialog box will then be displayed on the screen.
Here’s a step-by-step walkthrough on how to create rules when doing data entry on your inspection form:
- Highlight the cells where you intend to create data validation rules.
- Click on the ‘Data’ tab in the ribbon.
- Click on the ‘Data Validation’ option in the ribbon.
- Select ‘Date’ from the ‘Allow’ drop-down in the Data Validation dialog box.
- Specify the start and end dates. This date range will be the basis of when entries will be valid. The ones outside this rage would be denied.
- Once everything is set, click ‘OK.’
Congratulations, you now know how to create an inspection form using Excel’s data entry form feature. This feature will help speed up your data entry process and also allow you to restrict data entries based on certain rules. If you need further help, Microsoft has plenty of tutorial videos for beginners, so be sure to check them out!
Create Inspection Forms Using a Low-code Platform
If you’re looking for an even easier alternative to creating inspection forms, consider using a low-code platform like DATAMYTE. With DATAMYTE, you can create inspection forms with drag-and-drop tools without coding knowledge. You can also customize your forms according to the needs of your business by adding custom fields and other useful features.
DATAMYTE is a quality management platform with low-code capabilities. The DataMyte Digital Clipboard, in particular, is a low-code workflow automation software that features a checklist and smart form builder. This tool lets you create a comprehensive [name of checklist/template] to use and share with your team.
To create a checklist or form template using DATAMYTE, follow these steps:
- Log in to the DATAMYTE software and navigate to the ‘Checklist’ module.
- Click “Create Checklist.”
- Add a title to your template; select the category where it belongs.
- Start adding items to the template by clicking “Add Item.”
- Define the description of each item, what type of answer it requires, and other relevant specifications (e.g., reference documents, acceptance criteria, limits).
- Assign a team member who will be responsible for conducting the inspection using the template.
- Add signature fields for approvals (e.g., supervisors, quality assurance personnel).
- Save the template—you can now access it anywhere, and it will be available on any device.
DATAMYTE also lets you conduct layered process audits, a high-frequency evaluation of critical process steps, focusing on areas with the highest failure risk or non-compliance. Conducting LPA with DATAMYTE lets you effectively identify and correct potential defects before they become major quality issues.
With DATAMYTE, you have an all-in-one solution for creating and implementing inspection forms. Book a demo now to learn how DATAMYTE can help your business create useful and comprehensive inspection forms.
Conclusion
Creating inspection forms is an important part of any data entry process. With the right tools, you can ensure a robust system to check for errors and ensure accuracy. Use the tips in this article to help you create an inspection form using the Excel data entry form feature or a low-code platform like DATAMYTE. Get started today!
