Conditional Formatting

Excel supports conditional formatting , whereby you apply a format based on data values and not based on data type or position on the worksheet. Suppose, for example, you are the manager of a company and need to be alerted when sales fall below a fixed level of $500,000. You can set a conditional format on your sales report worksheets to boldface and color the sales values red if any of them fall below 500,000.

Figure 9.9 shows the Conditional Formatting dialog box that appears when you select Format, Conditional Formatting. The Conditional Formatting dialog box uses these parameters:

• The cell value or the formula result of the selected cell (or cells ).

• The value or formula between or somehow related to the two values.

• The starting value and the ending value of the condition's range. Click the icons (named the collapse dialog box arrows) to point to cells that form the range if desired.

• The format that Excel is to apply if and only if the condition is met.

Figure 9.9. Format based on the data value.

You can set multiple conditions for the same selected range by clicking Add and setting up additional conditions.

If you have the Office Assistant turned on, the assistant offers to help you with the Conditional Formatting dialog box. Some of the Conditional Formatting options are rather advanced, and the Office Assistant can help get you through them.