Advanced Excel for Professionals: May 25 Session 02

Use conditional formatting to highlight

Conditional Formatting for Dynamic Analysis
information in Excel
Formatting in Excel refers to the process of customizing
the appearance of cells, text, numbers, and other Conditional formatting can help make patterns and
elements within a worksheet. It helps improve trends in your data more apparent. To use it, you
create rules that determine the format of cells based
readability, organization, and presentation of data.
on their values, such as the following monthly
Types of Formatting in Excel:
temperature data with cell colors tied to cell values.
1. Cell Formatting – Adjust font style, size, color,
borders, alignment, and fill colors.
2. Number Formatting – Modify how numbers
appear, such as currency, percentage, date, or
custom formats.
3. Conditional Formatting – Apply formatting
dynamically based on conditions (e.g.,
highlighting values above a certain threshold).
4. Table Formatting – Convert a data range into a
structured table with automatic styling and You can apply conditional formatting to a range of
filtering. cells (either a selection or a named range), an Excel
5. Custom Formatting – Use special formats like table, and in Excel for Windows, even a PivotTable
report.
adding symbols, fractions, or custom date
formats. Conditional formatting based on cell

Conditional Formatting in Excel is a powerful feature 1. Select the cells you want to format
that helps you visually highlight important data based and make note of the first cell's address.
2. On the Home tab, select Conditional
on specific conditions. You can apply formatting—like
Formatting and choose New Rule.
colors, icons, or data bars—to make trends, outliers, or 3. Under Select a rule type, choose Use a
key figures stand out. formula to determine...
Key Features: 4. For Format values where this formula is
• Highlight Cells Rules – Automatically change true, type a formula that starts with an equal
the format of cells based on values, such as sign and the cell address you noted above. For
example: =C2>B2 will format C2 if it is
greater than, less than, or duplicates.
greater than B2. If you selected a range,
• Data Bars – Show values visually within cells formatting the first cell will fill the rest of the
using horizontal bars. range.
• Color Scales – Apply gradient colors based on 5. Select Format and choose options like Fill
value ranges. for cell color and Font for text color.
• Icon Sets – Add icons like checkmarks, Select OK and OK again.
warning signs, or arrows to indicate status or
You can use Conditional Formatting on a single cell
trends. and then apply the same format to other rows using
• Formula-Based Rules – Create custom the Format Painter tool.
conditions using formulas. 1. Apply Conditional Formatting to One Cell
▪ Select the cell where you want to apply
Conditional Formatting Conditional Formatting.
▪ Go to the Home tab and click
1. Select the cells you want to format.
Conditional Formatting.
2. On the Home tab, select Conditional ▪ Choose a rule (e.g., "Highlight Cells
Formatting. Rules" or "Color Scales") and set your
3. Select the desired options for your data. conditions.
▪ Click OK to apply the formatting.

LCBS Dhaka Instructor: Touhid Imam Khan

House -39/B, Road - 27, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1209. Email: touhidik@gmail.com
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Advanced Excel for Professionals: May 25 Session 02
2. Use Format Painter to Apply the Same Benefits of using Conditional Formatting:
Formatting to Other Rows Conditional Formatting in Excel is an incredibly
▪ Click on the cell where you applied useful tool that enhances data visibility and
Conditional Formatting. interpretation. Here’s how it benefits users:
▪ Go to the Home tab and click on the
Format Painter (looks like a paintbrush 1. Quick Data Insights
icon). • Helps users spot trends and identify
▪ Click and drag over the cells where you outliers at a glance.
want to apply the same formatting. • Example: Highlighting top-performing sales
figures or flagging overdue tasks.
💡 Note: Format Painter only copies the formatting 2. Error Detection
itself, not the logic of the Conditional Formatting. So • Alerts users to potential mistakes or
if your original Conditional Formatting rule was inconsistencies in data.
based on a specific cell reference, it might not work • Example: Highlighting duplicate entries or
correctly when pasted elsewhere. To apply invalid values in a dataset.
Conditional Formatting across multiple rows 3. Improved Decision-Making
properly, it's better to select all the rows first • Makes it easier to compare values and
before setting up the rule. make data-driven decisions.
• Example: Using color scales to visualize
Removing Conditional: financial performance across different
Removing Conditional Formatting from cells in Excel months.
is simple and can be done in a few different ways, 4. Dynamic Data Analysis
depending on whether you want to clear formatting • Formatting updates automatically as data
from specific cells or the entire sheet. changes, saving time and effort.
• Example: Highlighting cells where expenses
Method 1: Remove Conditional Formatting from exceed a budget limit.
Selected Cells 5. Professional & Clear Reports
1. Select the cells where the Conditional • Enhances readability and presentation,
Formatting is applied. making reports more effective.
2. Go to the Home tab. • Example: Using icon sets to indicate
3. Click on Conditional Formatting (under the performance levels—✅ for good, ⚠️ for
Styles group). warning, ❌ for critical issues.
4. Choose Clear Rules > Clear Rules from
Selected Cells. You can download a sample workbook that contains
Method 2: Remove Conditional Formatting from different examples of applying conditional
the Entire Worksheet formatting, both with standard rules such as top and
1. Click anywhere on the worksheet. bottom, duplicates, Data Bars, Icon Sets and Color
2. Go to the Home tab. Scales, as well as manually creating rules of your own.
3. Click on Conditional Formatting.
4. Choose Clear Rules > Clear Rules from Download link:
Entire Sheet.
Method 3: Using the Format Painter to Remove https://download.microsoft.com/download/e/4/0/
Conditional Formatting e4089f75-cdb0-4658-9d34-
1. Select a cell that does not have Conditional bfa3f7b48815/Conditional%20Formatting%20exam
Formatting. ples.xlsx
2. Go to the Home tab.
3. Click Format Painter.
4. Click and drag over the cells where you want
to remove Conditional Formatting.
💡 Note: Removing Conditional Formatting does not
delete the data in the cells—it only removes the
formatting rules applied.

LCBS Dhaka Instructor: Touhid Imam Khan

House -39/B, Road - 27, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1209. Email: touhidik@gmail.com
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