I have seen a few UA-camrs boasting about this new feature, yet it does not seem to be available on my Microsoft 365 Apps for business, which is up to date on my Windows 11 PC. It’s also not on my Mac, but I expected that. The Mac version lacks so many features that are standard on windows versions.
Hi Joel, so you have to be on the Insiders Beta Channel. It's free to join. However, I believe the feature is still being flighted, which means only a portion of the beta users get the feature. This allows Microsoft to test for any bugs that the feature might cause. Excel is an absolute beast, so it can take time to make sure the app is stable with the new feature. Here is a link to the Insiders program if you want to get on the beta. insider.microsoft365.com/ I hope that helps.
Today (24-08-11), I was looking for some graphics to insert, and I was scanning across the ribbon, there I saw "Checkbox" right next to the Illustrations dropdown. I don't know how long it's been there (generally extremely focused on my task at hand and viewing memory prevented me from seeing its particular addition. Only when I was looking for something else did I see it. I have been periodically checking (ha!) for the addition for months (cuz I gots ideas, lots and lots of ideas), but I was expecting it on the right side of the ribbon for some reason. Also of note: the subsection containing "Checkbox" is labelled "Controls", perhaps signaling additional functionality to come. If these work in practice as well as or better than you have demoed, future functionality in the same vein will be greatly anticipated and appreciated.
Nice job Jon. I have used the old checkboxes quite a bit but they are clunky. These will be so much simpler. Thanks -- particularly for showing the ghosting!
I was so excited when I found your video because I've spent at least an hour trying to "beef up" my puny checkbox in Excel for Mac :(. I cannot, for the life of me, change the formatting of the checkbox. The checkbox is also in a frame, so the cell does not show FALSE :( Reading your past comments here, I see that it's not yet available for Mac! :O
oh can't wait!!! I have spent most of my life in Google Sheets and my new company is Excel based.. I never realized how much I used checkboxes until I started using Excel daily and much to my sadness didn't exist in Excel. This makes my nerdy little heart soooooooo happy!!!
Check box is not showing on my toolbar. When I went to add it, it does not function as shown in your example. It doesn't populate in the selected cell and still has the "old school" insert with the text beside it. It's requiring me to physically move it to the cell after inserting. Can you explain further?
Sorry if I wasn't clear in the video. This feature is still in beta and you will need to be on the Insiders Beta Channel for Microsoft 365. I believe the feature is still being flighted, which means only a portion of the beta users get the feature. So you kind of have to get lucky. Here is a link to the Insiders program if you want to get on the beta. insider.microsoft365.com/ I'm not sure about the timing of the roll out to other channels. A lot depends on how it performs in beta. I hope everyone gets it soon. I've had a lot of fun creating solutions with the new checkboxes.
can hardly wait! I've long lamented how hard checkboxes are in Excel and appreciated how simple they are in Google Sheets. Google tends to make the basic and certain technical functionality much easier but is quickly surpassed by Excel with things a step beyond that basic (primary example: Slicers-nearly worthless in Sheets but game-changers in Excel). The biggest drawback to the new style checkboxes is how cell-locked they are, as you demonstrated.
Very well said Jack! I'm really loving this new feature and also can't wait for everyone to get it. I know some people choose Sheets for a project when they need checkboxes, and now that won't have to worry about that. I agree about them being cell locked. It's nice to also have the form controls for scenarios where we want to float the checkbox. I am hoping that Microsoft modernizes the old Form controls to align with the new cell controls. Or somehow merges the functionality.
Great question! Yes, that's another way to solve this. I actually had that technique in the initial video recording and cut it out because the video was getting too long. There are actually several ways to count the checkboxes. And I have a workaround solution for counting visible rows in an Excel Table that has filters applied. I'll do a follow up video on those techniques. Thanks! 🙌
Sir please clear my doubt Copilot 365 soon available in Excel & other ai tools are there So is it still important to learn ms Excel deeply all functions and advance formulas
Yes - keep learning. AI is another tool to add to the Excel toolbelt. If the tool is flawed, you will need a way to determine right vs. wrong answers, rather than accept any answer the tool gives. With a deep knowledge of Excel, you'll be able to spot both the right and the wrong answers of AI, and be able to make necessary edits, either in prompt or by yourself.
I'm not sure on the timeline. Here is Microsoft's official announcement. insider.microsoft365.com/en-us/blog/simplify-data-entry-and-reduce-errors-with-checkboxes-in-cells As I mentioned in the video, it's currently on the beta channel. I believe that is Windows only for now, but hopefully it will be rolled out to the Mac version soon. 🤞
Hi Jon Many thanks for this. I've been playing with this today, and I see that there isn't (yet) a VBA Method that inserts one of these checkboxes into a cell. (I recorded a macro while adding one to a cell, and no code was generated!) I assume this will follow once it's out of Beta?
Great question, Ian! I don't believe there is a VBA method yet. The checkboxes also don't trigger the Worksheet_Change event yet. So you can't trigger a macro when a checkbox is checked/unchecked. I think that will be very useful and hope we get that functionality in the near future. I don't know the timing, but I'll put in the good word with Microsoft. 😉
It's the Beta Channel. And it's only flighted to a portion of users on the beta channel. So if you don't see it yet, that is why. Microsoft does this so they can test if the new feature causes issues.
Excellent tutorial Jon. It seems that we have a large number of possibilities before us. I think the Excel-and-Sheets-Checkboxes.xlsx file is empty. Can you confirm please? Thank you.
Thanks for letting us know, Ivan! Sorry about that. We just updated the post with the correct files. It might take a few minutes for our website's cache to clear so you can see them. If you're on a version of Excel that doesn't have the new feature yet, then you won't see the new checkboxes. However, you can use any of the examples in the file and add the old Form Control checkboxes to them. As I mention in the video, the old controls are not as easy to implement or maintain.
@@ExcelCampus Thank you Jon. All is ok!! Hopefully Microsoft will soon release CheckBox for all 365 versions. You have made a great tutorial, highly recommended.
That we don't know, but there is a link in the description to join Microsoft's Insiders program which will ensure you get the latest features available!
Hi Renee! 😊 Currently, the new checkboxes feature is only available for a portion of the Beta channel of Microsoft 365, but hopefully, it will roll out to the masses soon. Be sure to subscribe to receive an update when that happens!
No checkbox option (in the insert menu) on my on-line version of excel (& something I've been waiting on for a long time - to link with conditional formatting & S Curves); any ideas?
I believe it's currently only available on the Windows desktop version of Excel, on the Insiders Beta Channel. Hopefully it will be rolled out to the other endpoints (Mac, Web, mobile) soon.
@@ExcelCampusThis is the first thing that should be covered in your video - making sure the user has the appropriate version or knows it's only available in the insider program.
Great question! The answer is yes and I just recorded a video to explain. It's linked above. You can also use formulas that return a true/false value in cells that contain checkboxes.
It is ridiculous that it has taken them over 30 years to finally figure this out.
I have seen a few UA-camrs boasting about this new feature, yet it does not seem to be available on my Microsoft 365 Apps for business, which is up to date on my Windows 11 PC. It’s also not on my Mac, but I expected that. The Mac version lacks so many features that are standard on windows versions.
Hi Joel, so you have to be on the Insiders Beta Channel. It's free to join.
However, I believe the feature is still being flighted, which means only a portion of the beta users get the feature. This allows Microsoft to test for any bugs that the feature might cause. Excel is an absolute beast, so it can take time to make sure the app is stable with the new feature.
Here is a link to the Insiders program if you want to get on the beta. insider.microsoft365.com/
I hope that helps.
Gosh, yes, it's a big deal. Why did Excel take so long? [Edit to add: Thank you Jon for your classes.]
Thanks for your support! 🙂
Lol I am irrationally excited about this feature
Haha me too! The checkboxes are a lot of fun to use and I'm looking forward to them being rolled out to everyone.
Today (24-08-11), I was looking for some graphics to insert, and I was scanning across the ribbon, there I saw "Checkbox" right next to the Illustrations dropdown. I don't know how long it's been there (generally extremely focused on my task at hand and viewing memory prevented me from seeing its particular addition. Only when I was looking for something else did I see it. I have been periodically checking (ha!) for the addition for months (cuz I gots ideas, lots and lots of ideas), but I was expecting it on the right side of the ribbon for some reason.
Also of note: the subsection containing "Checkbox" is labelled "Controls", perhaps signaling additional functionality to come. If these work in practice as well as or better than you have demoed, future functionality in the same vein will be greatly anticipated and appreciated.
Nice job Jon. I have used the old checkboxes quite a bit but they are clunky. These will be so much simpler. Thanks -- particularly for showing the ghosting!
I was so excited when I found your video because I've spent at least an hour trying to "beef up" my puny checkbox in Excel for Mac :(. I cannot, for the life of me, change the formatting of the checkbox. The checkbox is also in a frame, so the cell does not show FALSE :( Reading your past comments here, I see that it's not yet available for Mac! :O
oh can't wait!!! I have spent most of my life in Google Sheets and my new company is Excel based.. I never realized how much I used checkboxes until I started using Excel daily and much to my sadness didn't exist in Excel. This makes my nerdy little heart soooooooo happy!!!
We are excited too, finally! 😀
Why I don't have that option? The checkbox option I have is tedious af. You have to draw the box and everything...
Check box is not showing on my toolbar. When I went to add it, it does not function as shown in your example. It doesn't populate in the selected cell and still has the "old school" insert with the text beside it. It's requiring me to physically move it to the cell after inserting. Can you explain further?
Sorry if I wasn't clear in the video. This feature is still in beta and you will need to be on the Insiders Beta Channel for Microsoft 365.
I believe the feature is still being flighted, which means only a portion of the beta users get the feature. So you kind of have to get lucky. Here is a link to the Insiders program if you want to get on the beta. insider.microsoft365.com/
I'm not sure about the timing of the roll out to other channels. A lot depends on how it performs in beta.
I hope everyone gets it soon. I've had a lot of fun creating solutions with the new checkboxes.
can hardly wait! I've long lamented how hard checkboxes are in Excel and appreciated how simple they are in Google Sheets. Google tends to make the basic and certain technical functionality much easier but is quickly surpassed by Excel with things a step beyond that basic (primary example: Slicers-nearly worthless in Sheets but game-changers in Excel). The biggest drawback to the new style checkboxes is how cell-locked they are, as you demonstrated.
Very well said Jack! I'm really loving this new feature and also can't wait for everyone to get it.
I know some people choose Sheets for a project when they need checkboxes, and now that won't have to worry about that.
I agree about them being cell locked. It's nice to also have the form controls for scenarios where we want to float the checkbox.
I am hoping that Microsoft modernizes the old Form controls to align with the new cell controls. Or somehow merges the functionality.
Happy to see that this is coming our way finally!! Thanks for sharing, great preview and demo!!
Me too! Thanks! 🙂
Man, of course this comes out after I had a spreadsheet with 234 checkboxes and needed to use the data on it. Thank you for this information!
You're welcome, Stephen! 😀
question so checkbox from older version are not the same?
also i want to auto pupulate check box depenting on the value of another cell
Checkbox becomes very easy, and I love it . Thanks,
Great explanation. Thanks Jon
Thanks Herman! 🙌
Regarding summing the checkboxes, wouldn't it be easier to just use COUNTIF to count "true" values in the range containing the checkboxes?
Great question! Yes, that's another way to solve this. I actually had that technique in the initial video recording and cut it out because the video was getting too long.
There are actually several ways to count the checkboxes. And I have a workaround solution for counting visible rows in an Excel Table that has filters applied. I'll do a follow up video on those techniques. Thanks! 🙌
Very good, excelent class.
Glad you liked it, Jose! 😀
Sir please clear my doubt
Copilot 365 soon available in Excel & other ai tools are there
So is it still important to learn ms Excel deeply all functions and advance formulas
Yes - keep learning. AI is another tool to add to the Excel toolbelt. If the tool is flawed, you will need a way to determine right vs. wrong answers, rather than accept any answer the tool gives. With a deep knowledge of Excel, you'll be able to spot both the right and the wrong answers of AI, and be able to make necessary edits, either in prompt or by yourself.
Still wait until the rollout it to all 365 office user !
What excel version are you using since my excel of 2016 does not have check boxes.
The latest version of Microsoft 365 and I'm on the beta channel. Older versions of Excel will not get this feature.
I have Microsoft 365 and as of May 6th, I no not have the checkbox in my insert ribbon yet!! 😞
same :(
Is this out of beta. do not see check box button on ribbon?
Do you know when the new checkboxes will be added to Excel for Mac?
I'm not sure on the timeline. Here is Microsoft's official announcement.
insider.microsoft365.com/en-us/blog/simplify-data-entry-and-reduce-errors-with-checkboxes-in-cells
As I mentioned in the video, it's currently on the beta channel. I believe that is Windows only for now, but hopefully it will be rolled out to the Mac version soon. 🤞
Hi Jon
Many thanks for this. I've been playing with this today, and I see that there isn't (yet) a VBA Method that inserts one of these checkboxes into a cell. (I recorded a macro while adding one to a cell, and no code was generated!) I assume this will follow once it's out of Beta?
Great question, Ian! I don't believe there is a VBA method yet. The checkboxes also don't trigger the Worksheet_Change event yet. So you can't trigger a macro when a checkbox is checked/unchecked. I think that will be very useful and hope we get that functionality in the near future. I don't know the timing, but I'll put in the good word with Microsoft. 😉
@@ExcelCampus Thanks, Jon.
do I have to choose the current channel (preview) or Beta channel ?
It's the Beta Channel. And it's only flighted to a portion of users on the beta channel. So if you don't see it yet, that is why. Microsoft does this so they can test if the new feature causes issues.
I have not seen it, I am waiting
Cool. Total sum should work with also with Countif formula.
Yes, that is correct.
Excellent tutorial Jon. It seems that we have a large number of possibilities before us.
I think the Excel-and-Sheets-Checkboxes.xlsx file is empty. Can you confirm please? Thank you.
Thanks for letting us know, Ivan! Sorry about that. We just updated the post with the correct files. It might take a few minutes for our website's cache to clear so you can see them.
If you're on a version of Excel that doesn't have the new feature yet, then you won't see the new checkboxes. However, you can use any of the examples in the file and add the old Form Control checkboxes to them. As I mention in the video, the old controls are not as easy to implement or maintain.
@@ExcelCampus Thank you Jon. All is ok!! Hopefully Microsoft will soon release CheckBox for all 365 versions. You have made a great tutorial, highly recommended.
Thanks again Ivan!
Excellent video with great explanation
Thanks for the feedback! 😀
nice comprehensive explanation! Thanks!
Thanks! 🙂
tis is amazing but do we know when it will be rolled out for all to use.
That we don't know, but there is a link in the description to join Microsoft's Insiders program which will ensure you get the latest features available!
Thank you Jon😍😍🥰
Thanks! 😊
Thank u Jon for this great video 📹 👍
Thanks Nader! I appreciate your support. 🙌
sheet is just toy compare to excel.
😂
When is this available?
Hi Renee! 😊 Currently, the new checkboxes feature is only available for a portion of the Beta channel of Microsoft 365, but hopefully, it will roll out to the masses soon. Be sure to subscribe to receive an update when that happens!
This is great news! I really need this to enhance my dashboards. Thank you
You're welcome! 😀
Amazing
Thank you! Cheers!
No checkbox option (in the insert menu) on my on-line version of excel (& something I've been waiting on for a long time - to link with conditional formatting & S Curves); any ideas?
I believe it's currently only available on the Windows desktop version of Excel, on the Insiders Beta Channel. Hopefully it will be rolled out to the other endpoints (Mac, Web, mobile) soon.
@@ExcelCampusThis is the first thing that should be covered in your video - making sure the user has the appropriate version or knows it's only available in the insider program.
Hello mr Jon, can the check box be automatically checked based on another cell value, so that I won't have to manually check the check box?
Formulas for New Excel Checkboxes
Great question! The answer is yes and I just recorded a video to explain. It's linked above. You can also use formulas that return a true/false value in cells that contain checkboxes.
@@ExcelCampus Thank you for the reply 😊✨
This is the most extensive treatment of checkboxes in Excel I’ve seen so far!
Thanks for this great video! :-)
Thanks so much, Geert! 🙏 I'm definitely geeking out with ways to use the new checkboxes.
I'm so disappointed that Excel took so many decades to address this!!
And it's still only on Beta!
Looking forward