auto populate cells based on drop-down selection

Question

I have a spreadsheet that I would like to be able to auto-populate "lists" based on a drop-down selection. For example, A1 has a drop-down menu for all the departments in my company. We have different "to-do" list for each department (inserted through multiple rows on a second sheet). Is there a way to easily make it so that If I choose the (ie) HR department, the HR to-do list will auto-populate on the rows B7 and on, or if I choose the IT department, then the IT to-do list will auto-populate? I know I can do it with vlookup, but since each department has a different list, with different amount of items, I'm trying to find an easier way.

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Here is a simple example based on MATCH() and INDEX()

say the categories are in column A and the data validation pull-down that references these categories is in cell B1 .

Associated with each category is a list and the lists are located in a table in columns D through F :

In C1 enter the formula:

=INDEX($D$1:$F$4,ROWS($1:1),MATCH($B$1,A:A,0))

and copy downward.

Then when we select a category in B1 , the associated list will appear in column C :