1.

Conditional formatting
Conditional formatting is a great tool for visually highlighting cells that
contain values meeting conditions you specify, for example,

 Highlight dates in this month or dates within a range

 Highlight cells containing specific words

 Highlight the Top 10 or Bottom 10 values in a list

Highlighting by conditional formatting can be with font color, font style,

solid or shaded cell background colors, icons, or data bars (shaded
horizontal columns).

You set it up once and let it go. It’s like an automated detective. All you
need to do is glance at the results once in a while to see what the
detective has found.

The basic steps for applying a conditional format are,

1. Select the range of cells to receive a conditional format.

2. On the Home tab, in the Styles group, select Conditional Formatting.

A menu displays formatting options.
 Predefined conditional formats fit most needs.

3. Choose one of the top five menu options for predefined conditional
formats.
or
3. Choose New Rule to manually create a new formula to identify cells to
be formatted and specify the format.
or
3. Choose Manage Rules to modify, change the priority, or delete an
existing rule.

2. Managing existing rules

Manage rules when you need to modify the priority in which formats are
applied, edit the conditional formula, or change the format.

To manage an existing rule,

1. On the Home ribbon, in the Styles group, choose Conditional
Formatting, then select Mange Rules. The Conditional Formatting Rules
Manager dialog box will display.

The order of conditions in the Rules Manager is important.

2. In Show Formatting Rules For select where the rules are located.

3. Choose New Rule, Edit Rule, or Delete Rule as needed. Change the
priority in which rules are applied by selecting a rule, click on its name,
then click the up or down arrow at the top of the list to move the rule up
or down.

3. Using predefined conditional formatting

rules
Excel has predefined rules that cover the most frequent criteria and
formatting used in conditional formatting. To apply these built-in rules,
select the cells you want to have conditional formatting, then, on the
Home ribbon, in the Styles group, select Conditional Formatting to see
your choices of predefined conditional formatting.
4. Use predefined rules for simple conditions
Predefined conditional formats work well for simple conditions,

Highlight Cells Rules  

Greater Than, Less Than, Between, Equal To, Text that Contains, A
Date Occurring (relative date reference), Duplicate Values
Top/Bottom Rules
Top 10 Items, Top 10%, Bottom 10 Items, Bottom 10%, Above Average,
Below Average
Data Bars
Gradient Fill and Solid Fill for column charts in the cell background
based on the distribution of values
Color Scales
Gradient Color fills in the cell background based on the distribution of
values
Icon Sets
Icon sets, such as colored arrows or colored stoplights, based on the
distribution of values
If predefined rules will not work for you, see Tip 8 and try using a New
Formatting Rule and select Rule Types.

5. Predefined rules can also apply custom

formatting
Predefined rules are quick to apply because you can choose predefined
conditions and predefined formats. This Between dialog box enables you
to choose upper and lower limits for a numeric range.
However, using predefined conditional formats does not limit you to just
the formats in the drop-down list. For example, the pre-defined formats
shown in the drop-down list at right are not your only formats. To
customize the format, choose Custom Format at the bottom of the list to
create any format.

6. Finding and selecting cells and ranges with

conditional formats
To find cells with conditional formatting, press F5, the Go To key, to
display the Go To dialog box. Select the Special button, then select the
Conditional Formats option and click Ok.

Use the F5, Go To key, to find cells with conditional formats.

Cells containing conditional formats will be selected. At this point you

can manage or delete the conditional formats using the tips in this list.

Tip: You can step through selected cells to see their formulas while
maintaining the total selected range. To step through a selection cell-by-
cell, press Tab to move forward or Shift+Tab to move backward.
7. Deleting conditional formatting
To delete conditional formatting select the range, table, or Pivot Table
that has conditional formatting. (See Tip 6 above to learn how to select
the range.)

Delete conditional formatting by selecting Clear Rules from the

Conditional Formatting menu. You can clear Selected Cells, Entire
Sheet, This Table, and This PivotTable.

8. Use Rule Types to customize predefined

rules
Use Rules types if you need to add more conditions than what are
available in predefined rules. To use Rule Types,

1. Select the cells or range of cells to be formatted.

2. On the Home ribbon, in the Styles group, select Conditional

Formatting, and New Rule.

3. Select the Rule Type you want from the top list.
 The New Formatting Rule dialog gives you the ability to customize conditional formatting.

4. From the Format Style drop-down select the type of conditional

formatting you want, for example, a color scale or an icon set. In this
figure, Icon Set is selected.

5. The lower part of the Edit the Rule Description box changes so you
can customize the Rule Type. In this case, it shows options for
controlling icons. Choose Ok.

Use the last rule type, Use a Formula to Determine Which Cells to
Format, if the top five Rule Types do not give you capability. You will
need to use the “Use a Formula…” Rule Type if your conditional
formatting includes a complex formula or has AND, OR, and NOT
conditions.
9. Create dynamic conditional values by
referencing a worksheet cell
Remember that any Value box with a range selector icon,

can contain a cell reference as well as a static value. Click the range
selector icon to select a cell that will contain the value you want as a
condition. Putting the conditional value in a worksheet cell enables you
to change it easily as many of the advanced tips and download file show.
For example, you may want to reference cells on the worksheet that
contain dynamic values for Upper and Lower limits.

10. The order of rules in the Rules Manager

prevents conflicts
Cells can have multiple conditional formatting rules. You can see all the
rules for a cell(s) in the Rules Manager. Rules appear in the Rules
Manager in a top to bottom order and conditions are tested and formats
applied in this same order.

To display the Rules Manager, on the Home ribbon, in the Styles group,
select Conditional Formatting, then click Manage Rules.
 The order of conditions in the Rules Manager is important.

The Rules Manager tests rules starting with the topmost rule and
working down. It applies formatting when a rules condition returns TRUE
and continues down the list if there are no conflicts in formats. See Tip
11 if you want the Rules Manager to apply no other formats after the first
TRUE condition.

Rules Manager stops if there is a conflict in applying formats. For

example, there is no conflict if one rule changes the cell background
color and the next changes the font. However, a conflict does occur if the
first rule changes the font and a following rule attempts to also change
the font. When that occurs the Rules Manager stops.

11. Prevent multiple conditional formats by

stopping at the first TRUE condition
If you want the Rules Manager to stop when it meets the first TRUE
condition, then select the Stop If True checkbox on the right side of the
Rules Manager.

Use this, if a rule at the top of the list formats the font to bold, and a
lower rule in the list formats the cell background to green. These formats
do not conflict so the Rule Manager might apply both bold and green
background to a cell meeting both conditions. However, if you never
want cells with bold font to have a green background you should select
Stop If True for the rule with bold font.

12. Using Absolute and Relative References in

conditional formulas
When you create your own conditional formula (Tip 16) and apply it or
copy it across a range, then you must consider Absolute and Relative
References in the formula, just as you would when copying a formula
across a range.

For example, in the following figure the range $C$5:$H$36 has a

conditional format applied to it. The condition being tested is,

=$G5>=50

Create this formula as though it applies to the topmost cell in the Units
Sold column, $G5, and will be copied down through the entire range that
is receiving the conditional format. Because it is being copied across and
down this range, you don’t want column G to change. To fix column G
make it an Absolute reference, $G. However, the row must change as
the test condition is copied down all rows, so the row number uses a
Relative reference, 5 (with no $).
Here are a few simple rules for how to use Absolute and Relative
reference in conditional formatting.

When the cell being tested for a condition is in a list,

The formula should use an Absolute column reference, $G5, to the
topmost row containing the cell being tested. This fixes the column, $G,
so the column reference will not change as the tests compare each cell
in the range C5:H36.
When the cell being tested for a condition is in a row,
The formula should use an Absolute row reference, for example, P$35
(not shown in this example). This fixes the row reference so the
conditional tests will always run against the fixed row, $35.
When you compare two cell references in a list that are in the same row,
Both cell references should use Absolute column references, for
example, =$G5>=$I5, so the column references will not change, but the
row references can change down the list.
When you reference a cell outside a list to be tested against,
The cell outside the list, for example, a lower limit in a conditional format,
should use Absolute row and column references, $F$6, so neither
column nor row reference changes for each cell in the list.
Many of the examples in the advanced tips section show the use of
Relative and Absolute References.

13. Extending the number of conditional

formats
Conditional formatting is limited to three conditional formats per cell.
However, the cell also has its original format, before conditional formats
are applied. So each cell can have four possible formats.

In addition to original and conditional formats, you can use custom cell
formatting on numbers to apply color and numeric date formats unique to
positive, negative, zero, or text values.

14. Using Conditional Formatting with

PivotTables
You can apply conditional formatting to PivotTables, but you may be in
for a surprise. What happens is that conditional formatting works for the
range you apply it to, but if the refreshed PivotTable expands beyond the
original formatted area the expanded area will not be formatted.

One solution to this is to format the extra area around the PivotTable to
allow for possible expansion. If you do this, just remember that any
conditional format applied to this expansion area, such as shading
alternate rows, should appear with a correct format whether or not it is
occupied with the PivotTable data. (You don’t want alternating rows
highlighted where there is no data.)

15. Conditional Formatting using Icons and a

dynamic value range
Icons of red, yellow, or green stoplights or arrows are excellent for use in
executive reports to highlight KPIs needing attention. In this example
predefined conditional formats are used to create colored arrow icons.
The values used for upper and lower limits for the conditions are created
with Data Validation lists.

The green up-arrow icon uses the upper-limit value stored in $G$2. The
red down-arrow icon uses the lower-limit icon stored in $H$2. Notice that
the Type is set to Number, not Percent.
16. Create custom conditional formatting for
complex conditions
When you need conditional formats that have rules too complex for
predefined conditional formats, then you need to create your own
formulas.

Custom conditional formats may depend upon complex calculations

based on cell values inside or outside the range being formatted. These
custom formulas often contain AND, OR, and NOT logical conditions that
are not available in predefined conditional formatting.

To create custom conditional formatting,

1. Select the cells you want formatted.

2. On the Home tab, in the Styles group, click on Conditional Formatting,

then select New Rule to display the New Formatting Rule dialog box.

3. At the bottom of the Select a Rule Type list, select Use a Formula to
Select Which Cells to Format.
 The New Formatting Rule dialog gives you the ability to customize conditional formatting.

4. In the Format Values Where this Formula is True, you must enter a
formula that returns TRUE when the conditional format should be
applied. The formula must result in TRUE for the formatting to be
applied. For example, you might use a formula like this to test whether
values in column B of a list are equal to the value in cell $B$5 outside
the list,

=$B25=$B$5

5. Click Format and define the format you want applied when this
condition is TRUE. Click Ok.

6. Click Ok.

Many formula examples are in following tips.

17. Testing conditional format formulas in the
worksheet
Conditional formulas can be complex and difficult to test when entered
directly into the Rule Manager. An easy solution is to build the formula in
the worksheet so you can see whether it returns TRUE or FALSE
correctly.

In this figure, the conditional format in I5 tests the Item entered in E5

against three text Items. If the formula finds a match, then the formula
returns TRUE. The formulas in column I are there only to test the
formula before entering the formula into the Excel’s Conditional
Formatting.

The formula is,

=OR($E5=”Kludget”,$E5=”Flibbit”,$E5=”Flogjam”)

This is an illustration. In most cases you would want to make the text dynamic.
Copying the formula from cell I5 into the Rule Description area of the
New Formatting Rule or Edit Formatting Rule dialog box identifies which
rows will receive conditional formatting.

18. Conditional Formatting using a fixed

number
One of the simplest conditions tests a cell’s content against a static
number. If the formula returns TRUE, then the row is formatted. This can
be done with one of the Predefined Conditional Formats, but it is shown
here as an easy example of using a custom formula.

Use formulas to define your own conditions.

The test formula in I5 is,

=$G5>=50
This formula was copied down I5:I26 to see if it returned the correct
TRUE and FALSE for rows to receive conditional formatting. Once the
formula returns valid results, the range to be conditionally formatting,
C5:H36, is selected and the formula can be entered into the New
Formatting Rule dialog box.

19. Conditional Formatting using a dynamic

value chosen from a list
A very useful adaptation is to allow the user to select a comparison value
from a list. In this example, Excel’s Data Validation is used to create a
drop-down list in cell J4. The values for the Data Validation list are taken
from L5:L8.

A Data Validation list can also provide values to a cell referenced by

predefined conditional formatting. While this example is simple, it is
shown as the base for further tips that go beyond predefined conditional
formatting.

The test formula in I5 is,

=$G5>=$J$4
$J$4 is the cell that receives a number from the Data Validation drop-
down list.

This formula was copied into I5:I26 to see if it returned the correct TRUE
and FALSE for rows to receive conditional formatting. Once the formula
returns valid results, the range to be conditionally formatting, C5:H36, is
selected. Then the formula is copied into the New Formatting Rule dialog
box.

itical to Success
MENU

Top 26 Best Excel Conditional Formatting Tips

and Tutorial for Consulting Reports
Consulting Tools
After spending hours, days, or weeks in Excel searching
through data, creating PivotTables and PowerPivots to find
the answers you want those answers to POP OUT in your
reports. Here are 26 great Excel formatting tips to help you
create awesome reports for your consulting clients.
Conditional formatting in Excel applies formatting to cells when
the cell’s content meets specific conditions, such as the content
being greater than a number you specify.

These top 26 best tips on Excel conditional formatting begin with

the basics tips and progress to advanced tips, like using
conditional formatting to find errors, using wildcard matches to
find items in lists, and creating dynamic heat maps. These tips
come from research on top-ranked Excel websites and judged by
30 years of using Excel to analyze strategic and operational
performance.
 Use simple conditional formatting to create heat maps.

Use conditional formatting to find matches to partial word searches.

Download the Top 26 Best Conditional Formatting Tips sample

files.
“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the experts, there
are few.”
Shunryu Suzuki (1905-1971)
There is something in the list of 26 tips that can help you. Scan
the headings to see where you can add new power to your work
with Excel.

Help another Excel user. Pass this on.

 Download the Top 26 Best Conditional Formatting Tips sample
file.
Conditional Formatting Basic and Tutorial
1. Conditional formatting tutorial basics
Conditional formatting is a great tool for visually highlighting cells
that contain values meeting conditions you specify, for example,

 Highlight dates in this month or dates within a range

 Highlight cells containing specific words

 Highlight the Top 10 or Bottom 10 values in a list

Highlighting by conditional formatting can be with font color, font

style, solid or shaded cell background colors, icons, or data bars
(shaded horizontal columns).

You set it up once and let it go. It’s like an automated detective.
All you need to do is glance at the results once in a while to see
what the detective has found.

Click here for a free tutorial on conditional formatting from

Microsoft Support.
The basic steps for applying a conditional format are,

1. Select the range of cells to receive a conditional format.

2. On the Home tab, in the Styles group, select Conditional

Formatting. A menu displays formatting options.
 Predefined conditional formats fit most needs.

3. Choose one of the top five menu options for predefined

conditional formats.
or
3. Choose New Rule to manually create a new formula to identify
cells to be formatted and specify the format.
or
3. Choose Manage Rules to modify, change the priority, or delete
an existing rule.

2. Managing existing rules

Manage rules when you need to modify the priority in which
formats are applied, edit the conditional formula, or change the
format.

To manage an existing rule,

1. On the Home ribbon, in the Styles group, choose Conditional
Formatting, then select Mange Rules. The Conditional Formatting
Rules Manager dialog box will display.

The order of conditions in the Rules Manager is important.

2. In Show Formatting Rules For select where the rules are

located.

3. Choose New Rule, Edit Rule, or Delete Rule as needed.

Change the priority in which rules are applied by selecting a rule,
click on its name, then click the up or down arrow at the top of the
list to move the rule up or down.

3. Using predefined conditional formatting

rules
Excel has predefined rules that cover the most frequent criteria
and formatting used in conditional formatting. To apply these built-
in rules, select the cells you want to have conditional formatting,
then, on the Home ribbon, in the Styles group, select Conditional
Formatting to see your choices of predefined conditional
formatting.

4. Use predefined rules for simple conditions

Predefined conditional formats work well for simple conditions,

Highlight Cells Rules  

Greater Than, Less Than, Between, Equal To, Text that
Contains, A Date Occurring (relative date reference), Duplicate
Values
Top/Bottom Rules
Top 10 Items, Top 10%, Bottom 10 Items, Bottom 10%, Above
Average, Below Average
Data Bars
Gradient Fill and Solid Fill for column charts in the cell
background based on the distribution of values
Color Scales
Gradient Color fills in the cell background based on the
distribution of values
Icon Sets
Icon sets, such as colored arrows or colored stoplights, based on
the distribution of values
If predefined rules will not work for you, see Tip 8 and try using a
New Formatting Rule and select Rule Types.

5. Predefined rules can also apply custom

formatting
Predefined rules are quick to apply because you can choose
predefined conditions and predefined formats. This Between
dialog box enables you to choose upper and lower limits for a
numeric range.
However, using predefined conditional formats does not limit you
to just the formats in the drop-down list. For example, the pre-
defined formats shown in the drop-down list at right are not your
only formats. To customize the format, choose Custom Format at
the bottom of the list to create any format.

6. Finding and selecting cells and ranges with

conditional formats
To find cells with conditional formatting, press F5, the Go To key,
to display the Go To dialog box. Select the Special button, then
select the Conditional Formats option and click Ok.

Use the F5, Go To key, to find cells with conditional formats.

Cells containing conditional formats will be selected. At this point
you can manage or delete the conditional formats using the tips in
this list.

Tip: You can step through selected cells to see their formulas

while maintaining the total selected range. To step through a
selection cell-by-cell, press Tab to move forward or Shift+Tab to
move backward.

7. Deleting conditional formatting

To delete conditional formatting select the range, table, or Pivot
Table that has conditional formatting. (See Tip 6 above to learn
how to select the range.)

Delete conditional formatting by selecting Clear Rules from the

Conditional Formatting menu. You can clear Selected Cells,
Entire Sheet, This Table, and This PivotTable.

Download the Top 26 Best Conditional Formatting Tips sample

file.
Mid-Level Conditional Formatting Tips
8. Use Rule Types to customize predefined
rules
Use Rules types if you need to add more conditions than what are
available in predefined rules. To use Rule Types,

1. Select the cells or range of cells to be formatted.

2. On the Home ribbon, in the Styles group, select Conditional

Formatting, and New Rule.
3. Select the Rule Type you want from the top list.

The New Formatting Rule dialog gives you the ability to customize conditional formatting.

4. From the Format Style drop-down select the type of conditional

formatting you want, for example, a color scale or an icon set. In
this figure, Icon Set is selected.

5. The lower part of the Edit the Rule Description box changes so
you can customize the Rule Type. In this case, it shows options
for controlling icons. Choose Ok.

Use the last rule type, Use a Formula to Determine Which Cells to
Format, if the top five Rule Types do not give you capability. You
will need to use the “Use a Formula…” Rule Type if your
conditional formatting includes a complex formula or has AND,
OR, and NOT conditions.
9. Create dynamic conditional values by
referencing a worksheet cell
Remember that any Value box with a range selector icon,

can contain a cell reference as well as a static value. Click the

range selector icon to select a cell that will contain the value you
want as a condition. Putting the conditional value in a worksheet
cell enables you to change it easily as many of the advanced tips
and download file show. For example, you may want to reference
cells on the worksheet that contain dynamic values for Upper and
Lower limits.

10. The order of rules in the Rules Manager

prevents conflicts
Cells can have multiple conditional formatting rules. You can see
all the rules for a cell(s) in the Rules Manager. Rules appear in
the Rules Manager in a top to bottom order and conditions are
tested and formats applied in this same order.

To display the Rules Manager, on the Home ribbon, in the Styles

group, select Conditional Formatting, then click Manage Rules.
 The order of conditions in the Rules Manager is important.

The Rules Manager tests rules starting with the topmost rule and
working down. It applies formatting when a rules condition returns
TRUE and continues down the list if there are no conflicts in
formats. See Tip 11 if you want the Rules Manager to apply no
other formats after the first TRUE condition.

Rules Manager stops if there is a conflict in applying formats. For

example, there is no conflict if one rule changes the cell
background color and the next changes the font. However, a
conflict does occur if the first rule changes the font and a following
rule attempts to also change the font. When that occurs the Rules
Manager stops.

11. Prevent multiple conditional formats by

stopping at the first TRUE condition
If you want the Rules Manager to stop when it meets the first
TRUE condition, then select the Stop If True checkbox on the
right side of the Rules Manager.
Use this, if a rule at the top of the list formats the font to bold, and
a lower rule in the list formats the cell background to green. These
formats do not conflict so the Rule Manager might apply both bold
and green background to a cell meeting both conditions.
However, if you never want cells with bold font to have a green
background you should select Stop If True for the rule with bold
font.

12. Using Absolute and Relative References in

conditional formulas
When you create your own conditional formula (Tip 16) and apply
it or copy it across a range, then you must consider Absolute and
Relative References in the formula, just as you would when
copying a formula across a range.

For example, in the following figure the range $C$5:$H$36 has a

conditional format applied to it. The condition being tested is,

=$G5>=50

Create this formula as though it applies to the topmost cell in the

Units Sold column, $G5, and will be copied down through the
entire range that is receiving the conditional format. Because it is
being copied across and down this range, you don’t want column
G to change. To fix column G make it an Absolute reference, $G.
However, the row must change as the test condition is copied
down all rows, so the row number uses a Relative reference, 5
(with no $).
Here are a few simple rules for how to use Absolute and Relative
reference in conditional formatting.

When the cell being tested for a condition is in a list,

The formula should use an Absolute column reference, $G5, to
the topmost row containing the cell being tested. This fixes the
column, $G, so the column reference will not change as the tests
compare each cell in the range C5:H36.
When the cell being tested for a condition is in a row,
The formula should use an Absolute row reference, for example,
P$35 (not shown in this example). This fixes the row reference so
the conditional tests will always run against the fixed row, $35.
When you compare two cell references in a list that are in the
same row,
Both cell references should use Absolute column references, for
example, =$G5>=$I5, so the column references will not change,
but the row references can change down the list.
When you reference a cell outside a list to be tested against,
The cell outside the list, for example, a lower limit in a conditional
format, should use Absolute row and column references, $F$6, so
neither column nor row reference changes for each cell in the list.
Many of the examples in the advanced tips section show the use
of Relative and Absolute References.

13. Extending the number of conditional

formats
Conditional formatting is limited to three conditional formats per
cell. However, the cell also has its original format, before
conditional formats are applied. So each cell can have four
possible formats.

In addition to original and conditional formats, you can use

custom cell formatting on numbers to apply color and numeric
date formats unique to positive, negative, zero, or text values.

14. Using Conditional Formatting with

PivotTables
You can apply conditional formatting to PivotTables, but you may
be in for a surprise. What happens is that conditional formatting
works for the range you apply it to, but if the refreshed PivotTable
expands beyond the original formatted area the expanded area
will not be formatted.
One solution to this is to format the extra area around the
PivotTable to allow for possible expansion. If you do this, just
remember that any conditional format applied to this expansion
area, such as shading alternate rows, should appear with a
correct format whether or not it is occupied with the PivotTable
data. (You don’t want alternating rows highlighted where there is
no data.)

Download the Top 26 Best Conditional Formatting Tips sample

file.
Advanced Conditional Formatting Tips
15. Conditional Formatting using Icons and a
dynamic value range
Icons of red, yellow, or green stoplights or arrows are excellent for
use in executive reports to highlight KPIs needing attention. In this
example predefined conditional formats are used to create
colored arrow icons. The values used for upper and lower limits
for the conditions are created with Data Validation lists.
The green up-arrow icon uses the upper-limit value stored in
$G$2. The red down-arrow icon uses the lower-limit icon stored in
$H$2. Notice that the Type is set to Number, not Percent.

Download the Top 26 Best Conditional Formatting Tips sample

file.

16. Create custom conditional formatting for

complex conditions
When you need conditional formats that have rules too complex
for predefined conditional formats, then you need to create your
own formulas.

Custom conditional formats may depend upon complex

calculations based on cell values inside or outside the range
being formatted. These custom formulas often contain AND, OR,
and NOT logical conditions that are not available in predefined
conditional formatting.

To create custom conditional formatting,

1. Select the cells you want formatted.

2. On the Home tab, in the Styles group, click on Conditional

Formatting, then select New Rule to display the New Formatting
Rule dialog box.

3. At the bottom of the Select a Rule Type list, select Use a

Formula to Select Which Cells to Format.

The New Formatting Rule dialog gives you the ability to customize conditional formatting.

4. In the Format Values Where this Formula is True, you must

enter a formula that returns TRUE when the conditional format
should be applied. The formula must result in TRUE for the
formatting to be applied. For example, you might use a formula
like this to test whether values in column B of a list are equal to
the value in cell $B$5 outside the list,

=$B25=$B$5

5. Click Format and define the format you want applied when this
condition is TRUE. Click Ok.

6. Click Ok.

Many formula examples are in following tips.

17. Testing conditional format formulas in the

worksheet
Conditional formulas can be complex and difficult to test when
entered directly into the Rule Manager. An easy solution is to
build the formula in the worksheet so you can see whether it
returns TRUE or FALSE correctly.

In this figure, the conditional format in I5 tests the Item entered in

E5 against three text Items. If the formula finds a match, then the
formula returns TRUE. The formulas in column I are there only to
test the formula before entering the formula into the Excel’s
Conditional Formatting.

The formula is,

=OR($E5=”Kludget”,$E5=”Flibbit”,$E5=”Flogjam”)
 This is an illustration. In most cases you would want to make the text dynamic.

Copying the formula from cell I5 into the Rule Description area of
the New Formatting Rule or Edit Formatting Rule dialog box
identifies which rows will receive conditional formatting.

Download the Top 26 Best Conditional Formatting Tips sample

file.

18. Conditional Formatting using a fixed

number
One of the simplest conditions tests a cell’s content against a
static number. If the formula returns TRUE, then the row is
formatted. This can be done with one of the Predefined
Conditional Formats, but it is shown here as an easy example of
using a custom formula.
 Use formulas to define your own conditions.

The test formula in I5 is,

=$G5>=50

This formula was copied down I5:I26 to see if it returned the

correct TRUE and FALSE for rows to receive conditional
formatting. Once the formula returns valid results, the range to be
conditionally formatting, C5:H36, is selected and the formula can
be entered into the New Formatting Rule dialog box.

19. Conditional Formatting using a dynamic

value chosen from a list
A very useful adaptation is to allow the user to select a
comparison value from a list. In this example, Excel’s Data
Validation is used to create a drop-down list in cell J4. The values
for the Data Validation list are taken from L5:L8.
A Data Validation list can also provide values to a cell referenced
by predefined conditional formatting. While this example is simple,
it is shown as the base for further tips that go beyond predefined
conditional formatting.

The test formula in I5 is,

=$G5>=$J$4

$J$4 is the cell that receives a number from the Data Validation
drop-down list.

This formula was copied into I5:I26 to see if it returned the correct
TRUE and FALSE for rows to receive conditional formatting.
Once the formula returns valid results, the range to be
conditionally formatting, C5:H36, is selected. Then the formula is
copied into the New Formatting Rule dialog box.

Download the Top 26 Best Conditional Formatting Tips sample

file.
20. Conditional formatting to highlighting
alternating rows
Formula that formats alternating rows. The formula is,
<link>

=MOD(ROW(),2)=0

In this formula the ROW function returns the row number of the
formula’s cell. MOD then finds the modulo, or the remainder when
the row number is divided by 2. When this is 0, then the formula
returns 1. Excel interprets 1 as TRUE so the row is formatted. If
the formula returns 0, which Excel interprets as FALSE, the row is
not formatted. The result is formatting on alternating rows.

Use a formula with conditional formatting to highlight alternate rows.

21. Conditional Formatting using static text
AND, OR, and NOT functions can be used to create logical statements
to narrowly define what you want formatted. In this example, the static
text values of Kludget, Flibbit, and Flogjam are tested against the values
in the Item column. This is the type of conditional formatting that cannot
be done with a Predefined Conditional Format.

The conditional formula has the text values hard coded into the formula,

=OR($E5=”Kludget”,$E5=”Flibbit”,$E5=”Flogjam”)

In most cases, you would want to make the text condition dynamic.

22. Conditional Formatting using multiple text

values chosen from a list
This example shows how to choose one, two, or three Items for
conditional formatting. If the formula returns TRUE, then the row is
formatted. This is the type of conditional formatting that cannot be done
with a Predefined Conditional Format.
 Use Data Validation lists and OR to highlight multiple text matches.

The test formula in I5 is,

=OR($E5=$F$2,$E5=$G$2,$E5=$H$2)

The values in $F$2, $G$2, and $H$2 are entered using a Data
Validation drop-down list stored in K5:K12. The value “- None –“ is in the
list so that a non-matching selection can be chosen when needed.
Because “- None –“ begins with a hyphen/minus sign, you must precede
it with an apostrophe (‘).

23. Conditional Formatting based on wildcard

searches
Wildcard searches are a powerful feature to have when working with
very large lists with many similar words or with lists where you need to
find related items, such as similar product IDs. For these types of
conditional formatting you want to use a SEARCH formula to find text or
partial text matches.

The test formula used in I5 is,

=NOT(ISERR(SEARCH($F$2,$E5)))

SEARCH looks in E5 for text entered in F2. SEARCH returns the

number of the character position if it is found in the word, but SEARCH
returns an error if the text is not found in the word.

What makes this especially powerful is that the text in F2 can use the
wildcards * to match any group of characters or ? to match against any
single character.

If SEARCH does find a match, then it returns a number. ISERROR

returns a FALSE because the number is not an error. That FALSE is
then changed into a TRUE by NOT. That TRUE indicates the row should
have conditional formatting.

If SEARCH does not find a match, then it returns an error. ISERROR

then returns TRUE because SEARCH is an error. But, NOT turns the
TRUE into a FALSE which is what we want because the text match was
not found. <This sounds a little like the logic used to deduce the
poisoned glass of wine in the movie Princess Bride.>

Use conditional formatting to find matches to partial word searches.

g*, ??p, *jam, *ph

While the logic of the formula is convoluted, the resulting ability to format
with wildcards searches is powerful.

24. Conditional Formatting using a dynamic

date range
Dynamic date ranges are excellent for highlighting just the time frames
you want. Unlike using a data filter, you can still see the rest of the data
while the range you are interested in is highlighted.

The formula tested in I5 and used in the conditional format is,

=AND($C5>=$D$1,$C5<=$D$2)

The Sales Date for each row is tested to be in the range between Date
Start in $D$1 and Date End in $D$2. When the Sales Date is within the
range the formula returns TRUE so the row is formatted.

TIP: When you allow users to enter a date range you can reduce errors
by using Data Validation to limit the range of dates they can enter, as
shown in this example. Another method of reducing errors is to use a
slider or drop-down list for date selection.

25. Conditional Formatting to find errors and

blanks
Any time you have manually entered data or data brought in from large,
legacy data systems you face issues of missing data, errors, or incorrect
data types. You can use conditional formatting to quickly find those
errors and then fix them.
In this example any row that tests TRUE for a blank or error in specific
cells is highlighted. The formula is,

=OR(ISBLANK($C5),ISBLANK($D5),ISBLANK($E5),ISBLANK($F5),ISB
LANK($G5),ISBLANK($G5),ISERROR($H5))

Use conditional formatting to identify bad data.

Some of the functions you can use for testing are,

ISNA, ISBLANK, ISTEXT, ISNUMBER, ISERROR, and ISERR

Be aware that blanks are different than zeroes. Test for blanks with
ISBLANK. Test for zero values with =0.

26. Conditional Formatting to create a dynamic

heat map or choropleth map
Heat maps or choropleth maps use shading or colors in proportion to
values. They are often used to show temperature patterns as well as
census data such as population density or per-capita income.
 Use simple conditional formatting to create heat maps.

You can create heat maps in Excel using just the simplest of conditional
formats. Make sure your data are arranged so that there is a relationship
between data points and real-world distribution. For example,
temperature measurements would be shown over the geographic points
where a temperature was taken.

This heat map is in two tabs in the example file. One tab has the “reveal”
that shows the mathematics and scroll bars that make it dynamic. The
other tab shows the finished heat map and scroll bars that allow you to
move the hotspot. (It uses a binomial distribution (bell-shaped curve) of
values at 20 points across the X- and Y-axis. Sliding the X or Y sliders
moves the hotspot on the map.)