An example method facilitates data entry into fields or cells of client-side programs, such as spreadsheets, using a versatile data-selection dialog that provides User Interface (UI) controls and associated user options and functionality for efficiently selecting from among lists of values or computing objects for entry into an associated field or cell. The lists can be bounded or unbounded. The listed items can also be sorted and/or searched as needed. The dialog is further supported by functionality enabling selective retrieval of server-side data for populating values in the lists and caching of the retrieved values to meet the needs of a given implementation. Additional controls enable implementing advanced searches via the dialog, where associated advance-search functionality enables, for instance, searching by ranges of values; the addition of new types of search criteria (e.g., by enabling the adding of fields to a set of advanced-search controls), and so on.