Form controls in Spreadsheet Validated

Enable support for form controls (buttons, checkboxes, radio buttons, combo boxes, text boxes, and list boxes) within the EJ2 Spreadsheet so users can insert, position, resize, and interact with UI controls directly on the sheet. This brings parity with common Excel capabilities and improves interactive workflows.

The feature allows users to:

• Insert supported controls into the spreadsheet.
• Move and resize controls without disrupting cell content.
• Interact with controls to trigger actions or update cell values.
• Link controls to cells so changes propagate both ways where applicable.
• Customize basic appearance to match spreadsheet design.
• Retain functionality across undo/redo and alongside other spreadsheet features.
• Export/import spreadsheets with form controls preserved.

Requirements

• Mandatory functionality:
  • Insert form controls: buttons, checkboxes, radio buttons, combo boxes, text boxes, list boxes.
  • Place controls within the grid; position and resize on the sheet.
  • Interact with each control:
    • Buttons trigger predefined actions.
    • Checkboxes/radio buttons toggle selection state.
    • Combo boxes provide selectable predefined options.
    • Text boxes capture user-entered text.
    • List boxes support the selection of multiple options.
  • Link controls to specific cells such that control interactions update the linked cell value; linked cell updates reflect in the control where applicable.
  • Support drag-and-drop repositioning of controls.
  • Support formatting/styling customization for controls (colors, borders, font styles).
  • Work alongside cell formatting, conditional formatting, and data validation.
  • Support undo/redo for control insert, move/resize, property changes, and interactions.
  • Export: include form controls in exported files while maintaining functionality.
  • Import: render and preserve functionality for form controls from imported files.
  • Performance: avoid significant degradation with larger sheets or many controls.
• Behavioral expectations:
  • Control interactions update linked cells in real time, where applicable.
  • Linked cell changes reflect in the associated control’s state/value where applicable.
• Data/formatting rules:
  • None beyond styling customization specified.

UI Expectations

• Required UI elements:
  • Ability to insert each supported control type.
  • Visual handles/affordances to select, move, and resize controls on the grid.
• Interaction flow:
  • Insert a control → position/resize within grid → link to a specific cell → interact with control (click/select/type) → spreadsheet updates linked cell (and vice versa where applicable).
• Links:
  • See Attachments.

Success / Acceptance Criteria

• Functional behavior:
  • Users can insert each control type and place/resize it within the grid.
  • Control interactions behave as described:
    • Button click triggers a predefined action.
    • Checkbox/radio selection updates linked cell.
    • Combo box selection writes the chosen value to the linked cell.
    • Text box input appears in the linked cell.
    • List box multi-select updates linked cell(s) accordingly.
  • Drag-and-drop repositioning works without corrupting cell content.
  • Undo/redo works for insert, move/resize, property changes, and interactions.
  • Works alongside cell formatting, conditional formatting, and data validation.
• UI validation:
  • Controls display correctly within the grid and remain selectable/movable/resizable.
  • Styling options (colors, borders, fonts) apply to controls as configured.
• Export/import:
  • Exported spreadsheets include the form controls with functionality preserved.
  • Imported spreadsheets with form controls render with working interactions and links.

Attachments

• Reference: How to use the forms controls on a worksheet in Excel | Microsoft Support