How to Use Conditional Formatting in Excel? A Useful Feature

In this tutorial, I will explore the various aspects of how to use conditional formatting in Excel application. Conditional formatting in Excel is a powerful tool that allows you to dynamically format cells based on specific conditions or criteria. Unlike regular formatting, where you can manually change the appearance of cells. Conditional formatting automatically adjusts the formatting based on the values within those cells. This feature is amazingly useful and can be applied to different scenarios, such as data analysis, trend identification, or highlighting important information.

For example, you can use conditional formatting to highlight cells containing values above a certain threshold in a different color, shade alternate rows for better readability, or emphasize the highest or lowest values in a spreadsheet. You can also visualize patterns, outliers, or specific data points within your Excel worksheets. It makes our data analysis more natural and effective.

Excel provides a wide range of pre-defined conditional formatting rules. Beside these, you can also create custom rules according to your specific needs. It is a valuable tool for both beginners and advanced users in data management and analysis tasks.

How to Use Conditional Formatting in Excel?

Here are the steps on how to apply conditional formatting in Excel cells:

1. Open the Microsoft Excel application and open or create the workbook containing the worksheet where you want to apply conditional formatting.
2. Select the range of cells you want to apply conditional formatting. This could be a column, row, or specific range within your worksheet.
3. Click on the “Home” tab, and then choose the “Styles” group.
4. Now click on the “Conditional Formatting” button. A drop-down menu will appear.
5. In the dropdown menu, you’ll see a variety of pre-defined rules such as “Highlight Cells Rules,” “Top/Bottom Rules,” and “Data Bars,” among others. Select the rule that matches the condition you want to apply.
6. Set the Rule Criteria:
   After selecting a rule, a dialog box will appear. Set the criteria for the rule. For example, if you’re using the “Greater Than” rule, enter the value that the cells need to exceed to trigger the formatting.
7. Choose Formatting Style:
   After setting the criteria, choose the formatting style. This could be a specific color, font style, or icon set. Excel provides a range of options for you to customize the appearance of the cells that meet the condition.
8. Click OK:
   Once you’ve set the criteria and chosen the formatting style, click “OK” in the dialog box. Excel will apply the conditional formatting to the selected range based on the specified rule.
9. Review/confirmation:
   Review and observe the cells, either they are now displaying the chosen formatting style you have selected or not.

Excel Conditional Formatting Based on Another Cell:

This is a very important command in Excel conditional formatting. It offers a dynamic and efficient way to analyze and present your data effectively. A step-by-step information to apply conditional formatting in Excel based on another cell:

Step 1: Select the Range:

First, select the range of cells that you want to apply conditional formatting to. You can do this by clicking and dragging your mouse over the cells, or by holding down the Shift key and using the arrow keys to extend the selection.

Step 2: Go to Conditional Formatting:

Next, go to the “Home” tab on the Excel ribbon. In the “Styles” group, click on “Conditional Formatting.” A drop-down menu will appear.

Step 3: Choose New Rule

From the drop-down menu, select “New Rule.” A “New Formatting Rule” dialog box will pop up.

Step 4: Select a Rule Type

In the “New Formatting Rule” dialog box, you’ll see a list of rule types. Choose the rule type that suits your condition. For example, select “Format cells that contain” if you want to format cells based on their values.

Step 5: Define the Rule

After selecting the rule type, define the rule criteria. If you want the formatting to be based on another cell, enter the cell reference or formula in the criteria box. For example, if you want to format cells in column A based on the values in column B, enter the formula like “=$B$1>10” (this means if the value in B1 is greater than 10).

Step 6: Set the Formatting Style

Click the “Format” button in the “New Formatting Rule” dialog box. A “Format Cells” dialog box will appear. Here, you can set the formatting options such as font color, fill color, borders, etc.

Step 7: Apply and Review

Once you have defined the rule and formatting style, click “OK” on both dialog boxes. Excel will apply the conditional formatting to the selected range based on the specified rule and the values in the referenced cell(s).

You can apply multiple conditional formatting rules to the same range, allowing you to highlight various aspects of your data simultaneously. Remember that conditional formatting offers a dynamic way to visualize your data, enabling you to make more informed decisions based on the patterns and trends it reveals.