Microsoft Excel 2008

Working with Conditional Formatting

Conditional formatting rules allow you to format cells depending on how their data relates to other data. You can create original rules to format the cells in your workbook. For example, in a list of numbers ranging from 1 to 10, you can format cells with a value of 5 or greater as red. Conditional formatting logs your formatting rules so you can edit, prioritize, and delete rules easily.

Creating a Customized Rule
Editing Rules
Deleting Rules

Creating a Customized Rule

You can create your own conditional formatting rules by using the Conditional Formatting dialog box.

Select the range of cells to be formatted
From the Format menu, select Conditional Formatting...
The Conditional Formatting dialog box appears.
From the Condition 1 section, select the desired criteria
Click FORMAT...
The Format Cells dialog box appears.
Make the desired selections
Click OK
You are returned to the Conditional Formatting dialog box.
OPTIONAL: To add another condition, click ADD>>
1. From the next condition section, repeat steps 3-6.
Click OK
The rule is applied to cells which satisfy the criteria.

Editing Rules

You can edit preformatted and original rules. Rules are only editable if they have been applied in a worksheet.

Select the range of cells to be formatted with the conditional formatting you would like to modify
From the Format menu, select Conditional Formatting...
The Conditional Formatting dialog box appears.
Make the desired changes
Click OK
The desired changes are applied.

Deleting Rules

Once a rule has been applied, it may be deleted.

Select the range of cells to be formatted that you would like to remove the conditional formatting from
From the Format menu, select Conditional Formatting...
The Conditional Formatting dialog box appears.
Click DELETE...
The Delete Conditional Format dialog box appears.
Select the condition(s) to delete
NOTE: The option is selected when a checkmark appears.
Click OK
You are returned to the Conditional Formatting dialog box.
Click OK
The rule is cleared from the spreadsheet.