Defining data

Defining data to convert your data to an Add-In for Excel table. You can define an entire worksheet, or a subset or range of data within a worksheet.

Benefits of defined data

• Data is read-only, protecting it from accidental changes
• Formats the data consistently
• Optionally opens the selected data in a new worksheet
• Freezes the column headers so they remain visible while you scroll through the data
• Enables Excel sorting and filtering in column headers
• Displays totals of numeric data
• Displays table, column, and row details in the ACL Add-In panel

Define data using Add-In for Excel

1. With an Excel worksheet active, click the ACL Add-In tab.
2. Do one of the following:
   • To select a range of data you want to define, click the first cell in the range and then drag to the last cell in the range, and then click Define Data.
   • To select all the data in the worksheet, select an individual cell containing data and click Define Data, and then click Define Data.

     Tip

     You can also use Ctrl+a to select all and then click Define Data.

3. Optional to not use the first row of data as column headers, clear Use first row as column headers.
4. Optional to open the Add-In for Excel table in a new worksheet, select Create new worksheet and name the worksheet in the ACL Add-In worksheet name field.
5. In the Data Source Description field, enter a description and then click OK.

   The description is displayed in the Add-In for Excel table history.

Undefine data

Undefine data to remove the data protection and formatting from an Add-In for Excel table and convert it to a standard EXcel worksheet. The table history is permanently removed however row statuses, computed columns, and the content of the Notes column are retained.

1. With a cell selected in the Add-In for Excel table, click the ACL Add-in tab.
2. Click Undefine Data and then click Yes in the confirmation dialog box.