Conditional Formatting with Formulas in Excel

By default, excel has already provided us with many types of conditional formatting available to do with our data, but if any user wants the formatting done on specific criteria or formula, we can do so in the home tab of the conditional formatting section when we click on the new rule we will find an option for conditional formatting with formulas where we can write formulas which will define the cells to format.

Conditional formatting with Formula is nothing but changing the format of the cells based on the condition or criteria given by the user. You might have used conditional formatting to highlight the top value in the range, highlight duplicate values as well.

A good thing is we have formulas in conditional formatting in excel. All the formulas should be logical; the result will be either TRUE or FALSE. If the logical test pass, then we will get conditional formatting, and if the excel logical test fails, then we will get nothing.

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Overview

Let me introduce you to the conditional formatting with the formula window.

In the below section of the article, we will see a wide variety of examples for applying conditional formatting with formulas.

How to Use Excel Conditional Formatting with Formulas?

You can download this Excel Conditional Formatting with Formulas Template here – Excel Conditional Formatting with Formulas Template

#1 – Highlight Cells which has Values Less than 500

Assume below are the sales numbers you are working with.

Below is the sales price per unit.
Go to Conditional Formatting and click on New Rule.
Now select “Use a formula to determine which cells to format.”
Now, under “Format values where a formula is true,” apply the formula as A2<500 and then click on Format to apply the excel formatting.
Select the format as per your wish.
Now, you can see the preview of the format in the preview box.
Now, click on OK to complete the formatting. Now it has highlighted all the cells which have a number <500.

#2 – Highlight One Cells Based on Another Cell

We can highlight the one cell based on another cell value. Assume we have Product Name and Product Price data in the first two columns.

Conditional Formatting Formulas Example 2

From the above table, we need to highlight the products if the sale price is >220.

Step 1: Select the product range and then, Go to conditional formatting and click on New Rule.

Conditional Formatting Formulas Example 2-1

Step 2: In the formula, apply the formula as B2 > 220.

Conditional Formatting Formulas Example 2-2

Step 3: Click on the Format key and apply the format as per your wish.

Conditional Formatting Formulas Example 2-3

Step 5: Click OK; we have formatting ready.

Conditional Formatting Formulas Example 2-4

#3 – Highlight All the Empty Cells in the Range

Assume below is the data you have.

Conditional Formatting Formulas Example 3

In the above data, you have to highlight all the cells, which are blank or empty. We need to use the ISBLANK formula in the Excel conditional formatting.

Apply the below formula in the formulas section.

Conditional Formatting Formulas Example 3-1

Select the formatting as per your wish.

Conditional Formatting Formulas Example 3-2

Click on ok it will highlight all the empty cells in the selected range.

#4 – Use AND Function to Highlight Cells

Consider the below data for this formula.

Conditional Formatting Formulas Example 4

If the region is Central and the sales value is >500, we need to highlight the complete row.

Step 1: Select the entire data first.

Step 2: Here, we need to use the AND excel function because we need to test two conditions here, and both the conditions should be TRUE. Apply the below formula.

Conditional Formatting Formulas Example 4-2

Step 3: Click on Format.

Conditional Formatting Formulas Example 4-3

Step 4: Go to FILL and select the required color and effects.

Conditional Formatting Formulas Example 4-4

Step 5: Click, OK. We will see the rows highlighted if both the conditions are TRUE.

Conditional Formatting Formulas Example 4-5

#5- Use OR Function to Highlight Cells

Consider the below data for the example.

Conditional Formatting Formulas Example 5

In the above data range, I want to highlight the city names Bangalore and Mysore.

Step 1: Select the data first and go to Conditional Formatting, then click on New Rule.

Step 2: Since we need to highlight either of the two value cells, apply the OR excel function.

Step 3: Click on the format and select the required format.

Step 4: Once the formatting is applied, click on OK to complete the task. A formula would highlight all the cells which have values Bangalore & Mysore.

Conditional Formatting Formulas Example 5-4

#6 – Use COUNTIF Function to Highlight Cells

Assume you are working with the customer database. You need to identify all the clients whose names appearing more than five times in the list. Below is the data.

Select the data and apply the COUNTIF formula in the formula section.

Conditional Formatting Formulas Example 6-1

Click on the format and apply the required formatting.

Now formula will highlight all the names if the count if more than 5.

Conditional Formatting Formulas Example 6-3

Amber is the only name that appears more than five times on the list.

#7 – Highlight Every Alternative Row

We can also have the formula to highlight every alternative row in excel of the data. Assume below is the data you are working on.

Conditional Formatting Formulas Example 7

Select the data and apply the below formula.

=MOD(ROW (), 2)

Apply to format as per your wish and click on OK; we would have every alternative row highlighted by the formula.

Conditional Formatting Formulas Example 7-2

#8 – Highlight Every Alternative Column

Like how we have highlighted every alternative row similarly, we can highlight every alternate column. Consider the same data for the example.

Apply the below formula.

=MOD(COLUMN(), 2)

Copy the above formula and apply it in the formula section of the conditional formatting.

Click on OK; it will highlight the alternate row.

Conditional Formatting Formulas Example 8-2

If you wish to leave out the first column and highlight from the second column, you need to use the below formula.

It would highlight the alternative column starting from the second column.

Things to Remember

Conditional formatting accepts only logical formulas whose results are only either TRUE or FALSE.
A preview of conditional formatting is just an indication of how formatting looks.
Never use absolute reference as in the formula. When you are applying the formula, and if you select the cell directly, it would make it as an absolute reference, you need to make it to a relative reference in excel.

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Conditional Formatting with Formulas