I'm staring at a long spreadsheet with a whole lots and lots of numbers in a column and my fingers are getting cramped. The up and down keys are getting a workout. All I want to see are numbers less than zero. Using Excel's "find" feature I'm constantly pressing those black keys over and over again for quite somet ime. "There's got to be a better way!" I say out loud. Then Robert said " Oh, but there is!" So after I threw at him a pillow with my one good hand, he told me about the wonders of Conditional Formatting. BTW, is also a feature for all you folks using Microsoft Access.
There are a number of things about this
feature that are quite handy. First, it's better than "find one at a time
clicking" because with Conditional Formatting, it highlights the specific
numbers all at once. For instance, if you wanted to see all the numbers less
than zero. Second, since it has the word "format", it means that
once you do the highlights, it stays that way and becomes part of the
spreadsheet. You then can send it to someone else and they can see the
highlights too. And lastly, the highlights aren't permanent, meaning if a
number is changed, the spreadsheet changes too.
Okay, enough already, here are the steps.
- To find Conditional Formatting, click on the "Home" tab.
- Select and click on the header above a column. This will select that column. For example, I want the column under header E to be selected.
- Head your mouse to the Conditional Formatting tab in the ribbon.
- Click on Highlight Cells Rules.
- Since I want to see amounts less than zero, click on Less Than.
- In the Pop up window, there is an average number in there already but delete that and type 0, for zero. This will automatically give a preview.
- There is a drop down menu in the Pop Up Window for the decorating part. Don't care for Light Red Fill with Dark Red Text? Be your own person and click the down arrow and you will get more options.
- When you're happy, Click OK.
Now, your fingers are wiggly with excitement. Yay!
Debbie Wallis and her husband Robert, are owners of AXbean, a guiding light to all things Microsoft Access and Excel. They reside in the central
valley area of Sacramento, California between agriculture and government central. When not working, you can see them running about outside,
exploring shops, chowing down at all kinds of eateries and whenever possible, being more curious than a cat. Find out more at AXbean.com.
Labels: Conditional Formatting, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel
