Checkbox creation in cell

[AdamAdam]

Using Calc for keeping track of business debits. Sometimes I have multiple debits from the same merchant at the same amount. As I go through my checkbook balancing I’d like to place a check mark next to the debit to indicate that it has been designated as counted already, so that I don’t use it twice or more times for a different debit. The bank date of sale is often not the same as my receipt.

I’ve seem YOUTUBE videos of demonstrators creating a checkbox inside a cell that they can then copy the cell and go on down the column pasting new check boxes. But when I try to create a check box myself, it is always created independently to a cell, as a shape. Thus I can’t do the same thing that these YOUTUBE videos are showing.

Please help!

[JohnSUN]

Welcome @AdamAdam !
Are you sure that this should be a checkbox control? Or do you agree with any simple way to mark processed records?
The checkbox is truly a visual and familiar tool. But it has a significant drawback - they are difficult to reproduce by copying (and that’s what you’re asking, right?)
This resource has already accumulated several solutions that can replace sets of checkboxes.

Is there still no easy way to make a cell a checkbox?

I don’t know if this option is much easier than copying and reproducing checkboxes in Google Spreadsheets, but it is certainly easier than pasting controls into cells. Create a custom cell style, name it eg myCheckBox. Set a format code that will display an empty box for negative numbers (in terms of Calс “False” = -1) and the checked checkbox for positive and zero values (I used the format code ☐;;☐, you can choose any other to your liking) [myCheckBox_FormatCode.png] Write a short functi…

How to include/exclude cell values in a Sum formula?

@Lupp OK, If you really sure that thirteen lines of macro is not clear for medium level then let it be without macro SumByMarkedWithoutMacro.ods

https://ask.libreoffice.org/search?q=checkbox%20style%20format%20%23english%20tags:calc

[AdamAdam]

The checkbox would not have any value to the spreadsheet, only for my own verification to avoid using the same entry more than once when reconciling with my receipts.

Is it OK to post a video link from YOUTUBE or my own video to show what I’m seeing?

You wrote: “they are difficult to reproduce by copying (and that’s what you’re asking, right?)”

I’m asking how do I get a checkbox inside a cell so it moves and expands with the cell if I make changes. I’ve seen a least 2 videos online that show it can be done fairly easily so I’d really like to known what my problem is not being able to replicate them.

[JohnSUN]

@AdamAdam

I’d really like to known what my problem is not being able to replicate them.

No, this is not your problem, this is a feature of this particular spreadsheet - it is structured a little differently than Excel or Google Sheets. There, a checkbox can actually be “embedded” in a cell, and when copying a cell, its internal checkbox will also be copied. Here, all graphic elements lie not in cells, but on an invisible transparent film, Draw Page, on top of the table cells.
They can be placed more or less precisely above the cells and it will look the same as in other programs. But in order to copy existing checkboxes to other cells, you will have to do much more steps than are shown in those videos on YouTube - yes, this can be done, but it is quite labor-intensive. This is exactly what I write about in the first link provided. Once again, this is not your problem, this is a feature of Calc.

[AdamAdam]

OK so it looks like my only option is to copy and paste 1500 cells with checkboxes on the end of each row? At least, that’s what I’ve started to do. I don’t plan to change the size of the rows but if I need to I suspect all the check boxes below the altered row will have to be re-aligned…

[robleyd]

@AdamAdam

The checkbox would not have any value to the spreadsheet, only for my own verification to avoid using the same entry more than once when reconciling with my receipts.

So you could in fact use something else, such as a check mark which would be part of the cell content, as it is just another (special) character?

You can enter check marks using their Unicode value; type in your text ‘U+2713’ followed by Alt+X (simultaneous press of both keys) for U+2713 CHECK MARK. U+2714 gives you another version. With a little effort, you could set up an AutoCorrect entry to add check marks.

[JohnSUN]

@AdamAdam

OK so it looks like my only option is to copy and paste 1500 cells with checkboxes on the end of each row? At least, that’s what I’ve started to do.

It will be labor intensive. I assure you that for the simple task of marking a row with the value “Yes/No”, you can use simpler methods. For example, a dropdown list of two values (Menu Data - Validity), which is shown in the SumByMarkedWithoutMacro.ods file in the second link

[AdamAdam]

*thanks for the feedback. My intent was to provide the smallest footprint and the quickest way to flag the row. I thought about conditional formatting with color first but it seemed too obtrusive to the look of the sheet. Thanks for the other ideas.