Free add-on for Google Sheets
Data Validation Manager Free Data Validation Add-on for Google Sheets
Every dropdown and validation rule, every invalid entry. One sidebar.
Data Validation Manager lists every data validation rule on every tab of your spreadsheet, finds the entries that break them in one click, and lets you copy, propagate and back rules up as JSON. Built for anyone who maintains shared sheets, templates and trackers.
Free to use
No subscription
No external account required
Only two permissions
Spreadsheet content is not sent to external CloudNetix servers. Everything runs inside your Google Workspace environment.
Why it matters
Validation rules are invisible until a wrong entry slips through.
Google Sheets lists validation rules one tab at a time, has no command that finds every invalid cell, and breaks dropdowns from a range when you paste them into another file. Rules pile up across tabs, and the entries that violate them hide behind tiny red triangles.
No overview across tabs
The native panel shows the rules of the current tab only. On a workbook with many tabs nobody knows how many dropdowns and rules exist, or which ranges they cover.
Invalid entries hide in plain sight
A red triangle marks a wrong entry only where you happen to scroll. Values that were there before the rule was set never trigger a warning, and nothing lists them.
Copies break between files
Paste special carries validation within one file only. A dropdown that takes its items from a range arrives broken in another spreadsheet, and there is no way to back rules up before a risky change.
Simple to use
From hidden rules to a clean workbook in three steps.
Data Validation Manager is a sidebar add-on. No account needed: open your spreadsheet and start.
1
Open the sidebar
Launch Data Validation Manager from the Google Sheets Extensions menu. It lists every validation rule on every tab as a card: a plain-English criteria line, range chips that jump to the cells, and option chips for reject and help text.
2
Find invalid entries
One click checks every tab with Google's own validity check, so the results match the red triangles exactly. Entries are grouped by tab and rule, and each cell address jumps to the cell.
3
Copy, propagate, back up
Copy rules to other tabs, push an edited dropdown onto every tab that uses it, and export rules as JSON to restore them in any spreadsheet. Undo any change with Ctrl/Cmd+Z in the sheet.
What it does
Everything data validation needs, in one sidebar.
Six things Google Sheets does not do for you, each one click away.
Full rule inventory
Every rule on every tab, grouped per tab: dropdowns, lists from a range, numbers, dates, checkboxes, text rules and custom formulas. Range chips jump to the cells; badges show how many entries are invalid.
Invalid Finder
One click checks the whole workbook with the same validity check that draws the red triangles. Results are grouped by tab and rule, each address is a chip that jumps to the cell, and Check again re-runs it.
Copy to other tabs
Pick target tabs and the rules land on the same cell addresses. Rules are copied the way Sheets copies them, so dropdown chip colors and multiple selection stay intact.
Propagate from a cell
Edit one dropdown in the sheet, pick that cell as the source, and the add-on replaces the old rule on every tab that carries it. Items, chip colors and multiple selection all carry over.
JSON backup and restore
Export a rule, a tab or the whole workbook as JSON and import it into any spreadsheet. Dropdowns from a range carry a snapshot of their list, so you can re-link them to a tab or convert them to a fixed list.
Bulk delete, native undo
Select rules across tabs and delete them in one step; cell values stay untouched. Every change made from the sidebar is undone with Ctrl/Cmd+Z in the sheet, like any other edit.
Privacy & trust
Designed with privacy in mind.
Data Validation Manager runs inside your Google Workspace environment. Spreadsheet content is used only to provide the features you use in the sidebar.
No external spreadsheet storage
Spreadsheet content is not stored on CloudNetix servers. Processing is performed within Google's infrastructure.
No selling user data
User data is not sold, shared for advertising, or used for purposes unrelated to the add-on's core functionality.
No external account required
Users do not need to create a CloudNetix account. The add-on works entirely within your existing Google Workspace.
Only two permissions
Access to the current spreadsheet and permission to show the sidebar. Nothing else: no Google Drive access, no access to your other files.
Settings stay in your Google account
The add-on remembers a few interface preferences in your own Google account. They contain no spreadsheet content.
User-controlled execution
The add-on runs only when you open it and acts only when you click. No background triggers, no scheduled runs, no automatic data collection.
Product preview
See it in action.
Data Validation Manager runs as a sidebar inside Google Sheets. Three of the things you will use most:
Find invalid entries across the workbook
One check lists every entry that does not match its rule, grouped by tab and rule. Click an address to jump to the cell.
Restore dropdowns in another file
The import preview re-links a dropdown from a range to a tab in the new file, or converts it to a fixed list from the values saved at export.
Propagate an edited dropdown
Edit one cell's dropdown in the sheet, pick it as the source, and the add-on pushes it onto every tab that still carries the old rule.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions.
If you have a question not answered here, contact support@cloudnetix.de.
Is Data Validation Manager free?
Yes. Data Validation Manager is free to use. There is no subscription and no external account required.
Does it send spreadsheet data to CloudNetix servers?
No. Spreadsheet content is not sent to external CloudNetix servers. The add-on processes your spreadsheet within the Google Workspace environment, and everything it stores stays inside your Google account.
What permissions does it need?
Two: access to the spreadsheet it is opened in, and permission to show its sidebar. It has no Google Drive access and cannot open any other file. See the Privacy Policy for the details.
Can I copy dropdowns to another spreadsheet?
Yes. Export the rules as JSON, paste them into Import in the other spreadsheet, and the preview maps each sheet to a tab. A dropdown that takes its items from a range is re-linked to a tab of the same name or converted to a fixed list from the values saved at export. Dropdowns imported this way arrive in the default style: chip colors cannot travel in a file.
Where do I create or edit rules?
In Google Sheets itself, under Data > Data validation. The sidebar is where you find invalid entries and copy, propagate, back up and delete rules. It has no editor of its own: copying and propagating keep chip colors and multiple selection exactly as Sheets stores them.
Does it change my cell values?
No. The add-on reads values to find invalid entries and writes validation rules only, when you copy, propagate, import or delete them. Invalid entries are listed, never edited or cleared.
Can I undo a change?
Yes. Press Ctrl/Cmd+Z in the sheet, then click Refresh in the sidebar. Every change made from the sidebar is a normal edit in the spreadsheet's undo history.
Is this an official Google product?
No. Data Validation Manager is an independent add-on developed by CloudNetix. Google Sheets and Google Workspace are trademarks of Google LLC. Data Validation Manager is not affiliated with or endorsed by Google LLC.
Get started
Know every rule. Catch every invalid entry.
Free, with no subscription. Open the sidebar and start.