On September 24, 2026, Microsoft released a preview of a new feature called “Lists” for Excel that lets a single cell hold multiple values. Data can be packed into one cell using comma separation, with dedicated functions like HAS, HASANY, and HASALL used to filter and evaluate the individual values — a change to the decades-old assumption that a cell holds just one value. The feature is rolling out to some Windows and Mac users. In a 5ch thread, posters well-versed in database design and spreadsheets expressed bewilderment, while others raised practical concerns about compatibility with existing macros and libraries, the division of labor with Access, and the generational gap within companies over who can actually make use of the new feature.
Excel to change a principle that’s held for 40 years — new feature lets a single cell hold multiple values
On September 24 (local time), Microsoft announced “Lists,” a new Excel feature that lets a single cell contain multiple pieces of data, each of which can be used for filtering and calculations.
It’s rolling out as a preview to some Windows and Mac users.
As a Level 1 certified spreadsheet specialist, I'm confused
What happens to cell references now?
5AnonymousSep 28, 2026 23:17
This is gonna cause absolute chaos lol
6AnonymousSep 28, 2026 23:21
Feels like this'll create a divide between users who go all-in on the new feature and old-school veterans
7AnonymousSep 28, 2026 23:22
Well, there goes Access, dead
8AnonymousSep 28, 2026 23:23
Might be handy when working with matrices or sets.
9AnonymousSep 28, 2026 23:28
So for strength calculations — instead of entering material strength values cell by cell like before, you could now put multiple material strength values into a single cell?
10AnonymousSep 28, 2026 23:31
So basically you can put arrays or JSON into a cell now?
Kind of like a MySQL field.
11AnonymousSep 28, 2026 23:33
For us it's basically just an output destination at this point, so whatever.
But existing libraries are mature and legacy, so they'll probably never support this — annoying if a client ever asks for it.
12AnonymousSep 28, 2026 23:52
So a single cell can now do the job all on its own, huh
13AnonymousSep 29, 2026 00:29
Are older employees who can't get the hang of the new feature going to get mocked?
14AnonymousSep 29, 2026 01:15
So it can be used like an array?
Feels like it'd confuse anyone without some programming background.
15AnonymousSep 29, 2026 01:32
If a client suddenly demands data shared in this format, our in-house systems are toast (lol)
16AnonymousSep 29, 2026 01:33
If only Office would just die already, everyone could move to Linux… (lol)
17AnonymousSep 29, 2026 01:53
Re: #1
That's false
Sounds like an amateur who doesn't know about "God Excel" (a nickname for elaborately over-engineered Excel sheets misused for things like diagrams or page layout)
18AnonymousSep 29, 2026 02:19
WYSIWYG, huh… lol
19AnonymousSep 29, 2026 02:21
Creating a list is simple: just type comma-separated values into a cell and press Ctrl+J. That shortcut instantly converts the text into an in-cell list. You can also select an entire range of cells containing comma-separated values and press Ctrl+J to convert them all at once. If you prefer working from the ribbon, there's also a button for it on the "Insert" tab.
20AnonymousSep 29, 2026 02:21
Once a column contains lists, Excel starts behaving "smartly" toward new entries. If you type comma-separated values directly below an existing list cell and press Enter, Excel recognizes the pattern and converts it automatically — no need to press Ctrl+J.
21AnonymousSep 29, 2026 02:22
Filtering by list items
Once you create a column containing in-cell lists, the filter dropdown menu changes. Instead of showing the whole comma-separated string as a single entry, it displays each element of the list as an individual value. For example, if a cell contains "Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri", the filter dropdown will show five separate checkboxes.
22AnonymousSep 29, 2026 02:23
This column has a "contains" filter applied, targeting items included in the in-cell list. As a result, any list that includes "Fri" will show up in the results. This is a simpler and more accurate approach than applying a "contains" filter to a cell that might hold a comma-separated string but hasn't actually been converted into list format.
23AnonymousSep 29, 2026 02:24
At the top of the filter menu, a new "Select Field" dropdown appears. Here you can switch between "List Items" (individual values) and "Display Value" (the full comma-separated text). "List Items" is the default setting for columns using in-cell list format. You can also combine filters across multiple columns, making it easy to, say, find "baristas available on Saturdays."
24AnonymousSep 29, 2026 02:24
The HAS function: checking whether a list contains a specific value
Formula capabilities have also been significantly enhanced. The HAS function lets you check whether an in-cell list contains a specific value, returning TRUE or FALSE. It's ideal for conditional formatting, the FILTER function, or building helper columns to drive dashboard logic.
Here's an overview of the HAS function. It checks whether a list or array contains a specific value and returns TRUE or FALSE. Its arguments look like this:
=HAS([@[Available Days]],$I$4)
26AnonymousSep 29, 2026 02:26
For anyone using the HASANY function for the first time: it returns TRUE if a list or array contains at least one of the specified values. Its arguments are as follows:
=HASANY([@[Available Days]],$I$4:$I$5)
27AnonymousSep 29, 2026 02:28
Before getting to the main topic, here's a quick rundown of the HASALL function. It returns TRUE if a list or array contains all of the specified values. The arguments are:
array: the list or range to search
values: the range, list, or array of values that must all be present in array
=HASALL([@[Available Days]],$I$4:$I$5)
28AnonymousSep 29, 2026 02:29
For anyone using the HASANY function for the first time: it returns TRUE if a list or array contains at least one of the specified values. Its arguments are as follows:
array: the list or range to search
values: a range, list, or array of values (TRUE is returned if even one matches)
=HASANY([@[Available Days]],$I$4:$I$5)
34AnonymousSep 29, 2026 02:46
This is only going to make things worse when people use Excel as a database — we'll see even more cases that don't even satisfy first normal form.
Well, running Excel as a database is the real mistake to begin with, I guess.
35AnonymousSep 29, 2026 02:49
Still, typing a bunch of values into one cell sounds like a hassle.
Maybe you specify them from some other column?
If so, they really should add a separate workspace page with icons for doing calculations, alongside the regular cell view.
37AnonymousSep 29, 2026 02:50
If the cell's contents actually differ depending on who's looking at it, like some quantum cell, that's straight-up sci-fi at that point.
38AnonymousSep 29, 2026 02:51
They should just merge it with MATLAB or Scilab.
39AnonymousSep 29, 2026 02:57
CSV inside Excel? lol
40AnonymousSep 29, 2026 03:04
This is soooo confusing.
Looks like even I, still running Excel 2013, finally can't avoid upgrading because of this one.
41AnonymousSep 29, 2026 03:16
I wonder if this means you'll be able to directly import JSON files up to two levels deep?
But it seems like it's going to cause a flood of macro bugs.
Excel's market share basically depends on its legacy of existing macros, though.
42AnonymousSep 29, 2026 03:17
Quit messing with things nobody asked you to fix
Background and key points of the discussion
Spreadsheet software has followed the “one value per cell” principle ever since VisiCalc in 1979. The Lists feature breaks that assumption, letting a cell hold array-like data that can be evaluated and extracted using dedicated functions such as HAS, HASANY, and HASALL. In the thread, opinions split between those praising the convenience of handling JSON-like data directly, and those worried it would further encourage the already-common practice of using Excel as a pseudo-database, spreading usage that doesn’t even satisfy first normal form. For now, this is only a preview for some Windows and Mac users, and neither the article nor the thread specifies a timeline for full rollout or compatibility with existing macros, VBA, and external libraries. Some posters at companies that have long exchanged Excel files with business partners also worried about the cost of handling requests to share data in this new format.
Leave a Reply