Conditional formatting is a powerful tool that allows you to automatically highlight key information in a spreadsheet based on specific rules you set. It’s especially helpful when analyzing data—and you’ll be asked to apply it in your assessment.
What Is Conditional Formatting?
It’s a feature that changes the appearance of cells (such as their colour) when certain conditions are met. This makes it easier to spot trends, outliers, or important figures at a glance.
Example in Action
Let’s say you're working with financial data. You could set a rule so that any negative numbers are highlighted in red, making it easy to spot issues at a glance.
How to Apply Conditional Formatting
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you create your own rule:
1. Select the Cells
- Click and drag from the first cell to the last that you want to format.
2. Go to the Conditional Formatting Menu
On the top menu bar, click:
- Home > Conditional Formatting
3. Choose a Rule Type
Select from options such as:
- Highlight Cell Rules (e.g. greater than, less than, equal to)
- Top/Bottom Rules (e.g. top 10 items, bottom 10%, above average
4. Set Your Condition
A dialog box will appear. Enter the specific condition that should trigger the formatting (e.g. “less than 0”).
5. Click OK
Once applied, the formatting will automatically update based on the data in those cells.
Pro Tip
Make sure the rule you create is useful and relevant to the task at hand—it should help you or others make quick and informed decisions based on the visual cues.
If you’re unsure which rule to apply, reach out to your tutor—they’re here to help!